The Nine Circles of ELO Hell
by Dark Lord Ereshkigal
Summary: If you've played League of Legends, you'll probably have met many other people who just annoyed the hell out of you: the feeding adc who blames the jungler, the troll who goes Clarity Clairvoyance Jungle Soraka. Worry not, my friends, for there is divine justice to give them their just reward. Join Fenrir and Nasus as they delve deep into the Nine Circles of ELO Hell itself!
1. Chapter 1 - The Quest Begins

A/N: Hey guys! I'm going to be temporarily putting other fics on hold for now, because this idea has popped into my head and just won't go away. So now it will take priority over my other fics, because I think this idea is the coolest one I've had.

As a regular League of Legends player, I've come across a wide variety of other players in the game. While many of these players were skilled, friendly, and made my gaming experience enjoyable, there were easily just as many who absolutely ruined a game with faults ranging from lack of skill (which is forgivable and can be fixed over time) to serious personality and anger issues. I don't claim to be the perfect League of Legends player, in fact I don't even play Ranked. However, I do have an issue with people who troll, rage, instalock, etc.

That being said, I have recently finished reading Dante's _Inferno_, and then I realized: ELO Hell + _Inferno _= the Nine Circles of ELO Hell! And that's what this fic is about: my interpretation of what ELO Hell would be like. You will see several champions from League acting as various lords or servants of ELO Hell, ruling over the damned. I am labeling this fic as Parody/Supernatural, let me know if I should switch it to Horror.

Chapter 1 – The Quest Begins

Summoner Fenrir broke the connection to Mordekaiser's mind, sinking to the floor exhausted. This had been one of the most challenging League matches he had ever played, and having a 0-11 Kog'maw on his team who had AFK'd certainly hadn't helped matters.

"Are you all right?" one of his allies for the match looked over him, concerned.

"Yeah…" Fenrir got to his feet. "That was quite the challenge."

"I still can't believe we won that," another ally commented with a laugh. "It's a good thing we caught the enemy Kog'maw out of position and you ulted him in time. We honestly should have lost this."

"I know," Fenrir sighed. "I'm still kinda p*ssed off, though. Yes, we won that match, but it's because of idiots like our Kog'maw that games are ruined. I can't even count how many times he blamed Lee Sin for his mistakes."

"That retard tried to tower dive a full HP Blitzcrank at level 4," the summoner who had played Lee commented wryly. "Even Phreak can't save you from that kind of idiocy."

Fenrir laughed. "Yeah, well, doesn't matter now. GG, everyone."

"GG!" everyone shared their final farewells, then Fenrir left the room. As he made his way up to his room, he could feel his fatigue from the match setting in. Without even taking his clothes off, he collapsed onto his bed and let the shadows overwhelm his mind.

/

"Where…where am I?" Fenrir asked groggily as he regained consciousness. As he gathered his bearings, he could see that he was deep in a stone cave, nowhere near his quarters in the Institute of War.

"This has to be a dream…" he thought as he controlled his panic. "The Institute's covered with anti-Magic fields to block out large-scale magic. I couldn't have actually teleported myself out here while I was sleeping…"

"_Of course you are dreaming," _a voice seemed to answer his thoughts. _"But that means nothing. For the experience that you will soon face will be far more real than anything you have ever imagined."_

Fenrir whirled around to face the owner of the voice…and stared in shock. "Nasus?" he asked in complete confusion.

Nasus shook his head. "Not quite…I am not Nasus. At least, not the Curator of the Sands that you have fought with in the Fields of Justice." he responded. "Like many of the celestial lords of the afterlife, I have taken on the form of one of the champions in the League. In my case, it is so that summoners who interact with me will feel more at ease in my presence. I suppose you may still call me Nasus for the time being, if it will make things easier."

"But why have you brought me here?" Fenrir asked.

Nasus nodded. "A fair question. For many years, we have watched how you summoners perform and interact with each other in League matches. And we have seen how, because of the foolishness, arrogance, and maliciousness of many of the League's summoners, the purpose of the League is slowly being corrupted and desecrated. And so, we have decided to act. Though you may not believe it, each and every summoner must, upon their death, give full account for their actions in the League, which will be met either with reward or punishment.

Fenrir nodded. "I understand that part. But why me in particular? And just where are we?"

"You are one of those summoners who has not yet given in to the sins of the League. At least, not nearly as much as others," Nasus explained. "We have decided to show individuals like you what happens to those who practice folly or wickedness on a regular basis, so that you will know exactly what to avoid in the future. And for that reason, I have come to guide you through ELO Hell itself."

"Did…did you just say ELO Hell?" Fenrir spluttered. "That's absurd! ELO Hell is merely a term, a joke amongst summoners! A synonym for Bronze Division!"

Nasus laughed. "You cannot comprehend just how mistaken you and your fellow summoners really are. ELO Hell was created long ago as a prison for the greatest of evils, a being whose name I will not utter here. And as the…noobishness, I believe it is called nowadays…of the League spread, it became also a place of punishment for the weak-minded and the wicked. A place divided into nine circles, each with a different torment for a different sin.

"Wait a minute!" Fenrir interrupted, a hint of panic emerging in his voice. "You said you came here to guide me through ELO Hell. Does this mean…am I…"

Nasus shook his head. "Be at ease," he assured him. "As I have just stated, your behavior in the League does not warrant eternal damnation, at least not yet. I merely offer you the opportunity to journey into the Nine Circles of ELO Hell, so that you may see what befalls summoners who ruin the matches of others."

Fenrir sat down as he carefully considered Nasus's proposal. On the one hand, Nasus had always been one of his favorite champions and there was something about this spirit that instantly made him feel at ease. On the other hand, he knew better than to trust a mysterious spirit, especially one that was offering to take him into what was, for all intents and purposes, Hell.

"And what proof can you give me to show that you're not some demon in disguise, planning to trap me in ELO Hell for all eternity?"

Nasus smiled. "It is good that you ask this, for it shows that you are no fool. And as for proof…" he reached into one of his pockets and took out a shining gold amulet. Fenrir's eyes widened when he recognized what it was.

"Is that…the emblem of Shurelya?" he finally choked out. "But…that's only worn by the Goddess of Light's strongest commanders!"

Nasus nodded. "This is proof that I have been indeed sent out from on high to lead you through this quest. And even if I were a demon trying to ensnare you, my plan would not succeed, for ELO Hell has no power over those who do not belong there."

Suddenly, his face broke into what Fenrir could only perceive as a grin. "Once, a year ago in fact, a group of demons once attempted to capture the mighty summoner Xpecial and drag him into ELO Hell." To Fenrir's even greater surprise, Nasus burst out laughing. "It took months to repair the damage to the Fourth Circle."

"Fourth…circle?"

The jackal-headed figure slowly calmed himself down. "The Inferno is composed of nine circles, Fenrir, each designed to punish a specific sin. The upper levels, circles 1 through 4, are the resting place of those whose lack of skill robbed them and their allies of victory time and again. The middle circles, 5 through 7, are home to those whose insufferable pride and insatiable rage consumed them and blinded them to the truth. And to the lowest circles are condemned the spiteful and truly wretched of all summoners. But I cannot tell you more until you choose to embark on this pilgrimage into the depths of ELO Hell. And I must warn you: although you cannot be contained there, the demons of Hell do not take kindly to the living entering their realm, and may attack you if you are unwary. Do not enter with a light heart and a carefree mind if you value your life."

Fenrir grinned. "And miss the opportunity of a lifetime? I'm in, Nasus. Lead me into the Inferno of the League." He reached out a hand, and instantly the shadows solidified around it and formed a black onyx staff with a purple orb at its head. "I am ready to face what comes."

Nasus smiled, a fiery determination entering his eyes. "Then let us proceed. For in the very center of this cave stands the Gates of Lamentation. The entrance…to ELO Hell."

/

A/N: I'm really, really sorry if this chapter appears boring or doesn't make sense to you. Introduction chapters were never my strong suit. I promise as soon as the actual descent into Hell begins things will get much more interesting.

If you couldn't tell, "Nasus" will be assuming the role of Virgil the guide. Fenrir's just a character I came up with, he's not based on me or anybody I know in real life. He's a decent League summoner who normally has a friendly (and adventurous) personality, although he has his limits like everyone else.

If you're feeling really adventurous, try to guess the identities of the circles and any League champs that may soon appear. Otherwise, read and review please!


	2. Chapter 2 - The Descent into Damnation

A/N: I should clarify one of the questions I asked in the last chapter. There will only be around 10 or so champions being featured in this fic, and most of them will be functionaries or lords of ELO Hell. Sorry, should have clarified that in the beginning. Anyway, let us begin the descent into Hell proper!

Chapter 2 – The Descent into Damnation

It wasn't long before Fenrir could hear the sounds of scream and wails in the distance.

"We will soon be approaching the Gates of Lamentation," Nasus confirmed his suspicions. "It will not be long before you see the souls of the damned."

As they rounded a corner in the cavern, Fenrir could finally see the Gates of Lamentation. And stopped short in horror.

In front of him was a line of shades, enslaved together with dark magical chains, all being dragged towards an imposing gate at the end of the cavern. He could hear several shades crying out in pain and regret, some of them huddling together and whispering words of meaningless comfort. As soon as the souls saw Fenrir, they all started pointing at him and shouting, but their words were lost to him in the confusion.

"Who are these spirits?" Fenrir asked, his former enthusiasm rapidly being replaced by fear.

"These are the most recent of many souls who will pass this way into the Inferno," Nasus responded. "For since they never atoned for their crimes in the League, any hope of glory and peace will be stripped from them in this blackest of realms." He watched as the last of the shades entered the gate, before it slammed shut.

"Is there any way for these shades to rise from ELO Hell?"

Nasus smiled. "This may come as a surprise to you, but yes, it is possible. It is not unheard of for those in the first and second circles at least to ascend into higher kingdoms of the afterlife." His smile vanished. "But for those in the lower regions, there is no redemption possible."

Slightly heartened by this, Fenrir approached the Gates of Lamentation. He was surprised by how intricately carved the gates were. Inscribed upon them were hundreds of images of matches gone poorly. He could see a Blitzcrank pulling an Amumu into his own team, a Sona (which he assumed was jungling) getting smashed by the Blue Golem, a summoner storming off from the rest of his team, and countless others.

"The sins of countless summoners are inscribed upon these gates, a testament to the incompetence or wickedness of thousands of League matches," Nasus explained. He turned to face the Gates. "This is your last chance to flee, if you so wish. There are sights in ELO Hell that would horrify even the most stalwart warrior. You may leave now without shame."

Fenrir shook his head. "I have visited the Shadow Isles countless times in the past," he asserted. "I am no stranger to darkness and horror."

Nasus nodded. **"Then in the name of Shurelya,"** he suddenly bellowed, **"I command these gates to open!" **He raised his halberd, which suddenly glowed a bright blue light, and smashed it against the gates.

The gates slammed open, and Fenrir beheld a vast abyss which glowed faintly red with distant fire. From above, countless shades were falling into its depths like meteors, encased in fire.

"Jump!" Nasus shouted. Mastering his fear, Fenrir leaped into the abyss, Nasus following close behind. He zoomed past other flaming souls, focusing on the depths below. The fire he had seen earlier was now in full view, but instead of engulfing the abyss it seemed to surround the darkness. For a long time he fell, before finally, he could see the bottom below him. Calling upon his magic, Fenrir slowed his descent so that he only landed roughly, instead of being dashed to pieces on the rocky ground below. A few seconds later, Nasus also landed, though with his greater mastery of the arcane arts he was able to land much more smoothly than his charge.

"We have now descended into ELO Hell itself," Nasus declared. "Gather your courage and put aside all fear, for even though you have not earned a place here, the evil of this place will cripple your spirit and tear away your will if you are not careful."

Fenrir took out his staff and adopted a ready stance with it. "Let us go on," was all he said in response. As he gathered his bearings, he could see that he was on the top of a cliff, from where he could see, to his dismay, countless shades still falling from the sky. Looking below, he saw in the distance many figures lining up on the shore of what appeared to be a river of some sort, entering a giant wooden barge. Given where he was, however, Fenrir knew that the truth would be far more sinister.

"What is this place?" he asked Nasus as they made their way down a steep path to the shore.

"This is the Tiimûrz," Nasus answered. "The first river of ELO Hell, the River of Dread. The dead must board Malovio's vessel to enter Hell proper."

Fenrir wasn't impressed. "Doesn't seem like a very solid system," he commented wryly. "What's there to prevent a soul from simply refusing to board?"

A howl of rage suddenly burst from the barge, and a group of demons leaped into the air and flew towards a soul attempting to escape. The soul barely had time to act before the demons started beating him savagely with their whips. Fenrir winced as he heard the cries of agony and the tearing of flesh, before the demons threw the soul back into the line.

"Oh…" he finally found his voice. "Yeah…that would do it."

As Nasus and Fenrir approached the line of souls, a voice suddenly boomed out from the inside of the ship.

"**Through me, the way to the kingdom of noobs. Through me, the way to the world of the bad. As you ruined the lives of others, so now will your eternity be tainted with everlasting torment. Abandon all hope, ye who enter here."**

"That voice!" Fenrir gasped. "Is that…Yorick?"

Nasus shook his head. "No, it is not the Gravedigger, but rather one of his ancestors. Many centuries ago, Malovio Mori dishonored the Mori name by abandoning his duties as a gravedigger in favor of a hedonistic lifestyle. Upon his death, he was given a choice: to suffer in the Ninth Circle of True Hell for breaking his vows, or to forever serve in ELO Hell as the ferryman of damned summoners. It was no surprise to any that he made the latter choice."

"True Hell? What are the punishments of those who are not involved in the League?" Fenrir asked.

"Depending on the quality of their lives, they suffer or experience bliss in kingdoms of the afterlife different from ELO Hell or Heaven. But their afterlives do not concern you, for you have tied your fate to the League," Nasus explained. "Let us board now, for soon the barge will be departing for the First Circle."

As if on cue, the last of the souls entered the barge and immediately it began moving across the river. The two mostly kept to themselves; Fenrir didn't want to risk attracting unwanted attention from either the shades or, worse, demons. For an hour he waited before, finally, the barge stopped and its mighty doors swung open.

"Let's get off this boat," Fenrir muttered. "Hanging around these shades just doesn't feel right."

As he made his way to the door, however, a hulking figure suddenly blocked his path. It looked like Yorick, but unlike the gravedigger in the land above he was carrying a mighty oar that crackled with dark magic.

"**You who are living," **the figure growled as he lifted his oar threateningly, **"Stand aside from the rest. There is no place for you in the land of the damned."**

"Silence, Malovio," Nasus intervened to Fenrir's relief. "He is here on a journey of understanding and under my protection." He pointed his staff at the ferryman. "Do you wish to challenge my claim?"

For the briefest of moments, Fenrir thought he saw a hint of fear in Malovio's eyes, before the latter laughed and lowered his oar. **"Nay, agent of Shurelya. I have not the power to stop you or your charge from entering. Though I question the wisdom of coming here in the first place, I trust that your pilgrimage will be most…enlightening."**

He turned to face Fenrir. **"A word of advice to you, mortal. Your passage through the Circles of ELO Hell will not go unchallenged. Sooner or later, its demons will come for you. And I warn you now: if you are not prepared to fight, then you are not worthy of this pilgrimage. Do you understand?"**

Fenrir nodded. "I understand, Malovio. And I thank you for your advice."

Malovio snorted. **"ELO Hell has no sympathy, for the living or the dead. You'll need all the luck and help you can get."** And with that, the Gravedigger's ancestor moved out of the way.

"Let us go on, Fenrir," Nasus pointed towards a distant tower. "The First Circle awaits."

/

A/N: Being familiar with the Dante's Inferno video game and the Divine Comedy, I always wondered: what was there to stop souls from simply refusing to board Charon's vessel and facing the torments that await? The Divine Comedy stated that damned souls eagerly boarded the vessel, but I feel like this question was still kind of unresolved. This is my way of wrapping up that particular loose end.

Tiimûrz means "dreadful" or "terrible" in the Black Speech of Mordor.

Read and review please!


	3. Chapter 3 - The First Circle

A/N: And we continue on into the First Circle of ELO Hell! I will be using some elements of the Dante's Inferno video game here, with my own twists thrown in. Enjoy!

Chapter 3 – The First Circle

"What can you tell me about the tower that we're approaching, Nasus?" Fenrir requested as they approached the citadel.

"The tower is at the center of the First Circle of ELO Hell, the Circle of Virtuous Bronze," Nasus explained. "Here suffer those who did not commit any major sins in their lives as League summoners, but did not possess the required skill to rise beyond the lowest division."

"And they're being punished in ELO Hell only for that?" Fenrir gasped, aghast. "That's just outright brutal!"

His guide gave him a look that was a mixture of understanding and annoyance. "You judge too soon without seeing the inside of the circle," he scolded. "You will soon see that the fate of these particular souls is not nearly as horrible as you believe."

Fenrir looked back towards the tower, and now he could see that it was part of a network of interconnected structures that rose high in the middle of another gigantic chasm. To the left and right were stone walkways that circled around the periphery of the pit, which the vast majority of the damned were travelling. Ahead, he could see another stone bridge leading into one of the towers, with a small minority of the souls venturing into it.

"Our journey will take us into the citadel," Nasus gestured towards the middle bridge. As Fenrir walked towards the citadel, he thought he heard a voice yelling out a single word in the distance.

"**Arrogance!"**

"What was that?" Fenrir exclaimed. "I thought I just heard a voice yell out from somewhere!"

"The source of that voice will be revealed to you, in time," Nasus answered. "But for now, allow me to show you the Citadel of the First Circle."

Fenrir approached the doors to the tower and slowly opened them, fearing what he would find. But when he gathered his courage and looked in, he saw a summoning chamber very similar to the one back in the Institute of War, with many circles being occupied by groups of spectral summoners. Some of the shades looked up and greeted Fenrir cordially, although most of them were preoccupied with their matches.

"This doesn't seem like a bad place!" he exclaimed, earning some annoyed looks from the shades.

"Keep your voice down," Nasus scolded him. "Do not forget, Fenrir, that the only flaw keeping these summoners from joining the ranks of the great is lack of skill, a flaw which can easily be remedied over time. Although they are cut off from grace, these souls are distinguished from the rest in that they still enjoy some degree of divine protection. They are treated with respect and well-cared for. Think of this particular Circle not as one of punishment, but rather of forced learning."

"And the other towers that I saw?"

"They are for the most part very similar to the one that we now stand in," Nasus confirmed.

Fenrir took another look at the preoccupied summoners. "Doesn't it all seem kind of pointless?" he asked. "I mean, look at all of these summoners. Sure, they may improve to the point that their skill level would earn them gold or even platinum division in the land of the living, but it doesn't even matter. They're trapped in here forever." Suddenly, he looked up at Nasus, remembering what he had said earlier about ascension. "Wait a minute…"

His thought process was immediately interrupted by excited shouts from one of the other circles. Fenrir looked towards the source of the shouts and was amazed at what he saw. A beam of light that seemed to come from Heaven itself was suddenly shining upon one of the souls, transforming him into a figure of light. Fenrir could only catch a glimpse of the soul's face before both he and the light faded away, but he could clearly remember the look of pure peace and joy.

"So that's what happens once a summoner makes it to the top," he whispered in awe.

Nasus nodded. "The summoners here are still officially recognized by the League, even after death. And as a result, their division and rank are still recorded in the Institute of War. Once these souls have reached Gold division, they are taken by Shurelya and ascend to a higher plane of existence."

His face darkened. "But the opposite can also happen. Summoners here who give into their despair or rage may be stripped of their place and condemned to the Circles below. Thankfully, the shades here are well aware of that danger, and rarely has a soul been forced to descend."

The jackal-headed guide turned and beckoned Fenrir. "Let us move on, Fenrir. We have no reason to tarry here further."

The two exited through a set of doors opposite the ones they had come through. Fenrir could see several bridges spanning to other towers of the First Circle, but Nasus ignored them. As they reached the other side of the bridge, Fenrir could periodically hear the voice from before bellow out several words, each followed by a faint scream.

"**Instalocker!"**

"**Rager!"**

"**Griefer!"**

"**Feeder!"**

"I can't take it more, Nasus," Fenrir groaned. "Who is yelling those words? And why does his voice sound so familiar?"

Nasus stood silent for a moment, before finally deciding to reveal the truth. "That voice belongs to Lord Mordekaiser," he responded.

"MORDEKAISER?" Fenrir choked out in blank shock. "The Master of Metal? But that's impossible! He's a champion of the League and a ruler of the Shadow Isles!"

"He has been toying with all of Runeterra for his own amusement," Nasus explained. "What you perceive of him in the land above is but a fragment of his essence. Down here in the abyss, he is the Dark Judge of the Damned in ELO Hell, sending each condemned soul into their appropriate circle below."

"If he has such an important role here in the depths of Hell, then why does he bother going into the land of the living at all?"

Nasus laughed humorlessly. "Even with his powers limited, Mordekaiser is a highly respected and feared warrior in the Shadow Isles up above, the one land in Runeterra that openly embraces the dead. Although he cares not for the goals of the Shadow Isles, he does feel some responsibility for the Isles' denizens and willingly participates in its leadership." He thought for a moment. "As for why he participates in the League itself," he mused, "I can only assume that it is so that he can endlessly sate his destructive nature without negative consequences."

After several minutes, Fenrir and Nasus finally arrived at the entrance of a huge court, in which several souls were waiting fearfully in lines around its perimeter. Fenrir could see now that the two walkways which had circled around the Towers of Virtuous Bronze now reconnected here, with more shades waiting to be judged.

But what truly unnerved Fenrir was the court itself. At the far end of the room was another huge chasm, which opened into a sickly green swirling vortex. At the edge of the pit was a spiky wheel, half of which extended over the pit. And behind that wheel on an iron throne sat Mordekaiser himself, his presence more imposing and terrible than it had ever been in the land of the living.

Fenrir watched silently as Mordekaiser reached out towards a shade near him.

"No, no! Please!" the shade cried desperately. "Have mercy!"

"**Mercy?" **Mordekaiser laughed. **"Do you not know where you are? There is no mercy here." **He grabbed the soul and he stared at it intensely for a split second. **"Hmm…"** he finally decided. **"A ragequitter!"** Fenrir watched aghast as Mordekaiser suddenly slammed the soul onto a spoke of the wheel. The shade couldn't even choke in agony before Mordekaiser kicked the wheel, spinning it and sending the shade screaming into the vortex below.

The Master of Metal was about to reach out to grab another soul when, suddenly, he stopped his motion. Fenrir barely had time to react before the titan looked up and stared directly at him.

"**And who comes here now to grace my Hall of Punishment?"**

/

A/N: Cliffhanger! How will Mordekaiser react to Fenrir's presence in his court? You'll have to wait til the next chapter to find out!


	4. Chapter 4 - The Judge's Challenge

A/N: Not much to say here, so let the story continue!

Chapter 4 – The Judge's Challenge

Fenrir resisted the urge to flee in terror as he met Mordekaiser's gaze. "Gather your courage and put aside all fear," Nasus had warned him. He would not fail this first test.

"I am Fenrir, summoner of the League," he answered. "I have come here on a journey of understanding, a journey that has been sanctioned by Shurelya herself."

Mordekaiser's eyes narrowed. **"You do not seem to show me proper fear and respect as lord of this place," **he growled threateningly.

"It is not that I do not fear you," Fenrir responded evenly, "but rather that I refuse to let my fear control me while I am in this forsaken place."

The Judge gazed coldly at Fenrir for several seconds before he suddenly started chuckling. This came as a surprise to the summoner, who had been expecting an angry rebuttal, or worse, a violent reaction.

"**Well spoken,"** Mordekaiser finally responded after his laughter died down. **"You are clearly no coward. But as Malovio warned you before, your quest will not go uncontested."**

"How did you…" Fenrir began, but the judge cut him off. **"That is not important. All you need to know is that I am well acquainted with the ferryman, for I am a friend and ally to his descendant up above."**

"Oh that's right," the summoner muttered under his breath. "Yorick…"

"**Enough idle talk!" **the Master of Metal suddenly snarled. **"It is time for me to test whether you truly are worthy of this pilgrimage. Prepare yourself, Fenrir of Noxus, for your first challenge begins now!"**

"You cannot test him beyond his capabilities, Mordekaiser!" Nasus, having heard enough, stepped in to intervene at this point.

"**If his skill matches his courage, then he should have no trouble succeeding," **Mordekaiser coldly retorted. He shouted what Fenrir could perceive only as an infernal Word of Command, before a wall of fire suddenly erupted around the perimeter of the court, trapping him inside.

"**Demons of ELO Hell, rise from the depths! Attack the mortal and tear the flesh from his bones!" **he roared. Instantly, cracks opened up from beneath the ground and a group of five horned demons carrying swords and wearing chain armor climbed into the court. One of the demons roared, and as he did so its scimitar flashed with unholy fire, before he smashed it onto the ground, cracking the stone floor.

"I better not get hit by that," Fenrir noted. Although he had some combat experience from training in the Institute of War, he knew that he wouldn't win a fight against five demon warriors without a little magic help.

Fenrir twirled his staff around his head and shouted "Dushtala Bûrgulu!" Instantly, a storm of shadows erupted around him just as the closest demon attempted to slash at the summoner. The chaotic dark energies bombarded the creature, and it roared in pain as it was forced back.

"Huh," Fenrir muttered. "You'd think that demons of all things would have high shadow resistance. Apparently not!" Taking advantage of the demons' inability to physically attack him, Fenrir unsheathed his sword and lunged at his enemies. The combined power of the shadow storm and Fenrir's furious attacks was too much for the demons; as Fenrir slashed them apart, they dissolved into wisps of flames.

Mordekaiser laughed. **"You are clearly no weakling, mortal, but I am not done with you yet!" **Four more normal demon warriors burst from the ground, but this time they were followed by a larger demon wielding a giant mace and wearing battle armor that was literally engulfed in hellish fire. The demon champion roared and charged at Fenrir, who barely had time to dodge out of the way. As the demon overshot him, Fenrir thrust his sword into his side in an attempt to cripple him. To his horror, the armor's flames intensified and covered the entire demon's body, the sword bouncing harmlessly off it. Recovering, the demon whirled around and swung his mace right at Fenrir's stomach. The shadow storm deflected the attack, but at that moment it flickered and died, its power exhausted.

"Damn cooldowns!" Fenrir thought frantically. "And my sword's no good against that armor!" As he tried to think of a strategy, he suddenly remembered what his old master had taught him before he had been promoted to a level 30 summoner.

"_No enemy is truly invincible. They always have a weakness. All you have to do is find it!"_

Fenrir smiled as he realized how to defeat the creature in front of him. He dodged another swing from the demon, and then immediately started bombarding him with ice beams from his staff. The demon screamed as the frozen beam hit his flesh, and immediately the flames on his armor dissipated away.

"Now's my chance!" Fenrir realized. Capitalizing on his enemy's momentary weakness, the summoner charged forward with his sword. Without the unholy fire of the armor protecting him, the demon was completely vulnerable. Fenrir slashed the demon twice across the chest and then once through his throat, vaporizing him into more wisps of hellfire. The other demon warriors started to back away nervously at the sight of their captain falling, but Fenrir shot more ice beams at them, encasing them completely in ice before he smashed their frozen bodies.

Mordekaiser nodded as he saw the last demon fall. **"Impressive," **he acknowledged. **"You have both versatility and power. A strong combination. But I have one last trial for you!"**

There was another rumbling, and now only three figures emerged. Fenrir's eyes widened slightly as he saw another flaming demon champion, but this time there were two sinister-looking priest figures accompanying him.

"**The dark mages of ELO Hell," **Mordekaiser explained smugly. **"These corrupted sorcerers gather their power from the rage and idiocy of thousands of tortured noobs. They may not look like much compared to the ghaashshakhs that you have just fought, but you will bear full witness to their power."**

"I've beaten your ghaashakh before, and I'll beat him again!" Fenrir retorted. He fired another beam of ice, but this time a purple shield flashed around the demon champion, absorbing the attack and leaving him completely unharmed.

"It has to be those mages," Fenrir realized. "They're protecting the demon from my spells! And since he's immune to my sword attacks while his armor is flaming, I can't do anything against him! I'm going to have to kill the mages first if I'm going to make it out of this alive!"

The summoner experimentally fired another ice beam at one of the mages, but as he expected, they already had shields ready for it.

"Worth a shot," he muttered as he dodged a swing from the ghaashakh's mace. With little other choice, he charged at one of the sorcerers. The other one fired a pale green fireball at Fenrir but missed, and he started furiously attacking his target with his sword. Thankfully, the mage wasn't resistant to his physical attacks, and it wasn't long before Fenrir killed him.

Unfortunately, this left him exposed to the other mage, who fired a curse that hit Fenrir directly in the back. Fenrir gasped as thousands of fails suddenly flooded his mind. He could see a Rammus and a Singed ganking a level 2 Mordekaiser, only for the Mordekaiser to kill them both. He saw an entire Lux, Rumble, Amumu, and Varus wombo combo hit absolutely nobody. He saw a Jarvan IV trapping his own team inside his ultimate, while an enemy Zyra laughed as her ult killed them all. And, worst of all, a level 1 Master Yi attempting to turret-dive a level 6 Darius.

With his mind plagued by these horrifying images, Fenrir didn't notice the demon champion lunging at him. When he finally broke free of the mage's curse, he barely had time to form a flimsy shield with his staff before the demon smashed it apart and sent Fenrir flying towards Mordekaiser.

"Jeez…" Fenrir muttered as he recovered from both attacks. "That mace I can handle. But all those fails…I can already feel the cancer growing inside of me."

Fenrir raised his sword and charged at the surviving mage. The mage attempted to cast the same curse on him again, but this time Fenrir was ready. Deflecting the unholy magic with his sword, the summoner slashed the mage twice across the stomach and cleaved his arm off, leaving him helpless as Fenrir decapitated him. With both mages dead, the ghaashakh no longer enjoy their dark protection, and Fenrir disposed of him with the same ice spell that he had used on the other one.

Mordekaiser laughed as the demons' bodies dissolved into wisps of fire. **"Well done," **he acknowledged Fenrir's victory. **"Many who have been afflicted with the curse of a thousand fails never recover their strength of mind."**

Fenrir looked up angrily at Mordekaiser. "If you want to send demons after me, that's fine," he angrily responded. "But forcing me to witness all of those pathetic Bronze V excuses for plays…that's just despicable."

"**I had to see whether you were strong enough to resist the curse," **Mordekaiser coolly explained. **"The Circles below are filled with the very essence of the sins that they punish. You will be forced to experience them firsthand, and if you cannot withstand them then ELO Hell will entrap you here forever."**

Mordekaiser pointed to a gate on his right, and it swung open. **"That passage will take you to the Second Circle," **he explained. **"It is there that the true punishments begin."**

Nasus nodded. "My thanks, Mordekaiser," he addressed the judge briefly. The judge nodded uninterested before turning his attention to another damned soul and picking him up.

"**Wardless!" **he growled before dropping the soul into the vortex.

Fenrir suddenly spoke up. "Wait a minute…" he noticed. "You didn't impale that shade on your wheel. Why?"

"**An excellent observation," **Mordekaiser answered. **"I only impale souls whose crimes land them in the Sixth Circle or lower. For they are forced to pass forever into the City of Dicks, and will never come out again. I freely admit my cruelty and ruthlessness, but even I have a healthy respect for justice."**

"City of Dicks? What is that?"

"**The border between the weak and the toxic. You will soon see it for yourself…if you have the courage," **was all Mordekaiser said, before he went back to sentencing shades.

"We must press on, Fenrir," Nasus urged him. "Tarry here for too long and Lord Mordekaiser will lose patience here."

"Yes…" Fenrir murmured as they made their way through the gate. "But all the same…if all of ELO Hell is like that curse of a thousand fails…it must be a really horrible place indeed."

/

A/N: I won't be uploading for a while since I have finals next week. Until then, keep reading! The ghaashakh is based on the Malacoda boss (albeit a weaker version) from the Dante's Inferno video game, and the mages were based on the Heretics in the same game. Also, everything that Fenrir saw under the curse of the thousand fails ACTUALLY HAPPENED. Yeesh…

Read and review please!


	5. Chapter 5 - The Second Circle

A/N: Here's where the true punishments in ELO Hell begin!

Chapter 5 – The Second Circle

The path from quickly led to the edge of a high precipice, from which he could see faint lights at the very bottom of the cliff. The only way down to the Second Circle was a single road, carved deep into the cliff face. It was all surprisingly simple, especially compared to the towers of the First Circle and Mordekaiser's court. Fenrir could see that the Second Circle actually rested on another cliff far below them, with a seemingly bottomless abyss separating the two cliffs.

As Fenrir and Nasus made their way down the cliff face, they began to strike a conversation about the legions of the infernal realm.

"Tell me more about the demons of ELO Hell, Spirit of Heaven," Fenrir requested.

"As you will soon see, there are many more demons than the ones that you battled in your trials with Mordekaiser," Nasus explained. "The weakest of the Dark One's servants are the undead minions, whose souls have been fully corrupted by and thrown their lot in with the darkness. They now serve their tormentors, and though they have no great skill with weapons, their malice and strength in numbers is not something that should be ignored."

"And what about the demons that I did fight back there?"

"They are enforcers of the Dark One's will, the torturers of the Damned and guardians of the roads of the Inferno, who prevent any souls from escaping their Circle in ELO Hell. Though they are more powerful than a simple minion, they are not the strongest fighters. As you yourself proved," Nasus added with a hint of a smile.

Fenrir chuckled. "And the ghaashakhs? The mages?"

Nasus frowned. "Frankly, I am surprised that Mordekaiser summoned them so early in your journey. The ghaashakh is a demon champion who has been given armor empowered with hellfire, hellfire that as you saw grants them immunity to physical damage. Although they are commonly seen as captains of demon hordes, they are also masters of any torments involving the fires of ELO Hell, especially within the Seventh Circle, the Circle of Ragers."

"Circle of Ragers?" Fenrir asked.

"I will tell you more once we arrive there. For now, let us proceed to the Second Circle."

Fenrir shrugged and continued climbing down the stairs. As the descent began to level out, he suddenly noticed the links of three mighty chains that hung off to the side of the stairs. They hadn't been in his vision at the top of the cliff, but now he saw that they were much, much thicker than even Nasus and extended from the top of the sky to the depths of the ravine located between the two cliffs. He couldn't see where either end led.

"What are those chains?" Fenrir asked Nasus.

Nasus's eyes narrowed. "Those chains are all that separate the world above from eternal destruction and chaos. They are the _Ukhurkgaium_, the Chains of the Forsaken. The bonds that keep the Dark One sealed in this place. The moment he breaks free is the moment the apocalypse begins."

Perhaps unwisely, Fenrir asked, "And what if someone were to attempt to break those chains?"

Nasus instantly grabbed Fenrir and lifted him so that they were in direct eye contact with each other. "Either your weak mortal strength would not so much as scratch those chains," he snarled with suddenly ferocity, "or I would kill you before you ever got the chance to so much as touch them."

Fenrir raised his arms in surrender. "All right, all right," he apologized. "My question was a stupid one. I don't plan to betray humanity and literally unleash Hell on Runeterra now or ever."

Satisfied, Nasus lowered Fenrir back onto the stairs. "Look ahead," he pointed with his staff, "and you will see the Second Circle of Hell before you."

Fenrir looked where Nasus was pointing. Sure enough, they were at the bridge that crossed into the Second Circle. The circle itself seemed to compromise of many small stone buildings, not unlike the grounds of the Institute of War. He could now hear faint cries of agony, and occasionally, see a soul suddenly materialize in the sky from a flash of green light and fall into the circle.

"So that's what happens to the souls that Mordekaiser judges," he realized.

As he and Nasus entered the first and largest of the buildings, he saw a gigantic hall in which several fattened souls were chained to tables and benches, being forced to eat what seemed to be normal food. Apart from the chains and many demon soldiers wielding their swords threateningly, it didn't seem too horrifying. He did notice, however, that several of the souls were moaning and groaning in anguish as they devoured their servings.

"What am I looking at, Nasus?" he asked.

"This is the Second Circle of ELO Hell," Nasus explained. "The Circle of Perpetual Feeders. Here suffer those who, in life, constantly fed their opponents in League matches. Although they do not intentionally feed, their utter lack of skill nevertheless ruined many matches and destroyed their allies' chances of victory. As punishment for always bringing down defeat upon their allies, they are forced to devour the foods they most despised in the world above, for all eternity, unless they improve their performances."

Fenrir looked up, puzzled. "What you just said implies that getting out of this circle is possible," he noticed. "And what exactly constitutes 'perpetual feeding' anyway? If you're trying to learn a new champion in normal matches or you're just having a bad week, that shouldn't land you in this circle in my opinion."

Nasus nodded in acknowledgment of Fenrir's argument. "Only ranked matches are considered as grounds for punishment within this circle," he added. "The damned who are trapped here have, in more than 75% of matches, ended with at least 5 more deaths than kills, with no appropriate number of assists to make up for that. There is some leeway allowed; a player who goes 0-7-30 will not be punished here, for their number of assists indicates that they still contributed to their team, especially if they were playing as a support. And as for your first question…"

The guide was suddenly interrupted by a loud wail from one of the tormented shades. "Why, Shurelya, why?" The soul yelled in anguish. "Why must I eat raw cabbage for all eternity? I hate vegetables! They're the most disgusting pieces of crap ever!"

"You don't get it, do you?" a nearby demon guard growled with both amusement and contempt. "Almost every single one of your League matches ended up with you ruining your team. Your average score was a 4-15-3 in 300 ranked games, for the First Troll's sake! Now shut up and keep eating!" He brandished his sword threateningly, "or I'll skin you alive!"

The shade whimpered in fear and went back to eating his cabbage.

"A 4-15-3 KDA?" Fenrir asked incredulously. "What the hell? It's actually possible for summoners to be that bad?"

Nasus rolled his eyes. "Regrettably, yes," Nasus sighed. "Since the main vice keeping these souls condemned in the Second Circle is a lack of skill rather than a defining personality flaw, it is possible for them to ascend as well. These souls are given two hours reprieve every day for League matches before they are sent back into these halls to suffer their punishment. But as you can guess," he added darkly, "it is much more difficult to escape this Circle because your starting point is much, more lower."

Fenrir looked around sadly at the souls being forced to devour the foods they most despised. "I feel bad for them," he sighed. "Having to suffer this for all eternity just because of mass feeding. I mean, having a feeder in your team is annoying, I freely admit that, but still…"

His guide nodded sympathetically. "Unlike the souls in the circles below, Shurelya does feel some pity for these lost souls and keeps a path open for their redemption. That small ray of hope is better than none at all. But they have to work even harder than those in the First Circle to reach that point."

"That's true," Fenrir agreed. He turned to his guide. "This place isn't the City of Dicks that Mordekaiser mentioned, is it?"

Nasus shook his head, a cold look of anger entering his face. "No," he replied firmly. "The City of Dicks is much, much lower. And unlike the souls here, the citizens of that foul place deserve no such sympathy from you or me."

His face relaxed a bit but still showed some tension. "There is one more thing that you should know, Fenrir," he suddenly added. "This Circle only houses the nonmalicious feeders. Those who have committed more serious crimes, such as raging and blaming, and are also guilty of feeding suffer a much more severe punishment in addition to their other woes."

Fenrir cringed. He didn't like to think of what their punishment would be. "This Circle depresses me, Nasus," he finally spoke out his mind. "Let us move on to the lower Circles. I don't think it will be very healthy for me to dwell here for too long."

Nasus nodded. "Follow me to the other side of the Circle," he beckoned at Fenrir. "There the pathway to the Third Circle awaits."

/

A/N: Finally, the Second Circle of ELO Hell has been revealed to you, the Circle of Perpetual Feeders! As Nasus explained, feeding alone won't end you up in here. Constantly having a horrible KDA (like 80% of the time or more) will. After all, if you've played 300 ranked matches and your score is always something like 0-9, you probably shouldn't be playing ranked.

That being said, feeding is something that can be fixed with lots of time, effort, and practice. As a result, redemption is also possible. A lot more difficult since you're probably deep in Bronze as a result of feeding so much, but not something that can't ever be fixed.

Another note: Battle scene chapters like the one in Mordekaiser's court will be fairly rare. The original _Inferno_ was more of a tour than an action quest. There will be some, but not many.

Read and review please!


	6. Chapter 6 - The Third Circle

A/N: Sorry if this chapter sucks, this is the only one of the Nine Circles imo that isn't very solid compared to the rest I have written or have in mind. But enough about my #firstworldproblems. Read on!

Chapter 6- The Third Circle

Fenrir tried to ignore the moans of pain as he and Nasus crossed to the other side of the Circle. As hard as he tried, though, there was no way for him to ignore the images of damned souls forever feeding on their accursed meals.

His guide seemed to know what he was thinking. "Try not to concern yourself too much with these souls, for there is nothing you can do and agonizing over their fate will make things worse. And keep in mind, Fenrir, that these souls can indeed earn their redemption. There is still hope for them, however slight their hope may be."

Nasus pointed to what appeared to be the far edge of the Circle of Feeders, another steep cliff face. There, Fenrir saw a mighty steel contraption that seemed like an elevator of some kind. "This is where we shall descend," he pointed out.

Fenrir, needing no prompting, entered the elevator with Nasus following closely behind. The spirit flicked a few switches, and instantly the platform began to descend down the cliff.

"Is every Circle of ELO Hell designed like this?" Fenrir asked.

"Only the Circles outside the City of Dicks," Nasus answered. "The lowest Circles were carved out of pits and tunnels that descend deep under the city itself. From the lowest pit, where the Dark One is sealed, the Chains of the Forsaken extend upward to every circle."

Speaking of the chains, Fenrir could now see three more of the chains stretching from the top of the cliff face to deep in the abyss. But immediately, Fenrir could notice that something was different. A few links in one of the chains seemed…different…somehow. They were noticeably less bright than the links on the other two, and they appeared to be somewhat cracked and fractured, as though they were about to break about.

"Nasus!" Fenrir called out. "That chain! It's weakening!"

His guide instantly pulled the elevator to a halt and looked where Fenrir was pointing. He bared his teeth in anger. "Curses!" he growled. "It is as I feared. The Dark One is slowly gathering strength from the corrupted essences of thousands of noobs. And he is slowly starting to break free of his bonds."

"Are we about to face the apocalypse?" Fenrir asked.

Nasus shook his head. "Not quite. It will still take many years for the Dark One to break free, and as you can see several of the Chains are still holding strong. But we must act now if we are to make sure the Dark One does not ever escape."

He flicked a switch, and instantly the elevator suddenly began to slide towards the chains. Once they were close enough, Nasus took his staff and began chanting in an ancient holy language. The tip of Nasus's staff and the damaged part of the chain both glowed a bright blue light. When the light finally faded, Fenrir could finally see that the chain had been fully restored.

Fenrir's relief wouldn't last long, however. An enormous howl of rage seemed to echo from deep within the abyss, a howl that chilled the summoner's blood. Nasus, acting quickly, directed the elevator back to its main pathway right before a massive geyser of purple fire shot out from the depths of the abyss, flying right where the elevator had been a second ago.

"Was that…" Fenrir began.

"That was the Dark One himself," Nasus confirmed for him. "Clearly, he is not pleased that we have resealed his chains, and he has made his anger known."

Fenrir fought off the fear building inside of him with a retort. "In retrospect," he wryly remarked, "maybe attracting his attention like that probably was not the best of ideas. And why hasn't he continued attacking us?"

Nasus shrugged. "We would have attracted his attention sooner or later," he answered with remarkable calmness, "and been met with the same welcome regardless. The Dark One envies and despises the living and their freedom, and he forever rages against Earth and Heaven itself, as helpless as he may be. His chains prevent him from using most of his power, which is why he was unable to send more than one blast of dark fire after us."

"Maybe I shouldn't have come here then," Fenrir murmured.

"Do not fear, Fenrir," his guide assured him. "Your passage is granted from on high and you are protected. And you forget…" a canine grin stretched across his face, "the demons of ELO Hell have much to fear from me."

"You mentioned that you are of the Host of Heaven," Fenrir asked. "What exactly are you?"

"I am one of Shurelya's leading generals and commanders, " Nasus replied. His eyes narrowed. "And let's just say that I've had centuries to…how do you summoners say it? Stack my Siphoning Strike."

Fenrir's eyes widened. "And here I thought that letting Nasus free-farm for 45 minutes was bad enough," he muttered.

Nasus chuckled at that. "You are safer then you think, my friend. And do not forget that this is all a dream. Though your human perspective cannot understand it, you are currently in an ethereal body that is merely an imprint of your soul. Should you be killed, since you do not belong here, you will return to your room in the Institute of War, though your quest will end."

Fenrir's confidence boosted a little. "In that case," he grinned, "lead on!"

Nasus flipped a switch and the elevator began to descend again. The two did not talk again until the elevator finally lowered onto the cliff face of the Third Circle. Once the platform stopped, the two exited the elevator and entered the Circle proper.

Fenrir could immediately see that this Circle of ELO Hell was much, much different from the Circle above. All he could see was swamp and gnarled trees as far as the eye could see. The only man-made structure was a solid stone bridge that led straight into the shadowy forest.

"This is the Third Circle of ELO Hell," Nasus announced. "The Circle of the Defeatists. To this place are condemned the summoners whose negative attitudes and pessimism dominated their minds, stripping them of any hope of victory. Their defeatist attitude and negativity tainted the spirit of their games, poisoning the performances and spirit of teamwork amongst their allies."

He stretched his hand out towards both sides of the swamp. "As punishment, they are abandoned in this cursed swamp, languishing forever in the black waters that represent their utter lack of hope. For as they always believed only in the worst in life, so now their fears become reality in death."

Fenrir looked around him and could now see several shades wallowing in the muck. Some were groaning in despair while others were feebly trying to climb out of the brackish waters to no avail.

"How is it possible for despair to yield such a cruel punishment?" Fenrir asked.

"What is falling into despair, if not the decision to lose all hope and happiness?" Nasus asked challengingly. "These souls could have embraced a positive attitude in the League. Every single defeat contains a hidden lesson, an opportunity to improve yourself for future matches. And any match which may originally seem like a defeat can be turned around with a comeback through great effort and mental fortitude. You yourself played a game recently with the true Nasus which started as a 1-16 team score, but with a positive attitude you and your team held your ground for 45 minutes and turned what seemed like a certain defeat into a well-earned victory. There is no need for despair and pessimism to define the lives of these summoners. That is a choice that they made for themselves."

"I'm just showing some sympathy for these hopeless souls!" Fenrir protested. "Are you saying I shouldn't show them even a shred of compassion?"

The guide calmed down and shook his head. "That was not my intention," he replied. "If you had no sympathy then I would question your humanity."

Sighing, he added. "If it makes you feel better, Fenrir, there is a way for these shades to escape this Circle. If a soul is willing to utterly cast aside their despair and allow hope to envelop their minds, they may rise to the Second or even the First Circle depending on their performances in the League matches before their death. But rarely has a soul been able to cast aside their defeatism, and even if he succeeds his ascension is hidden from the rest of the souls so that they cannot follow on the path of hope so easily. The Third Circle is not nearly as forgiving as the Circles up above."

"_How right you are…"_ a voice suddenly hissed from around them.

The shades in the swamp below, who were only groaning moments before, started screaming in outright terror and fled into the depths of the river. The sky seemed to grow even darker, and a giant shadow of a mighty figure suddenly materialized in front of them. Fenrir couldn't make out any details, but he had a horrible feeling that he knew who this entity was.

Nasus growled and raised his staff. "I knew that you would soon disgrace us with your accursed presence, Dark One. You cannot harm us here, bound and chained as you are!"

The shadowy monster laughed chillingly. _"Perhaps not, but that doesn't mean that my servants cannot attack you," _it snarled. _"I may not have the strength to defeat you as a shadow, commander of Shurelya, and I may not be able to keep your little friend here permanently. But that does not mean that I cannot give him a very painful 'death' out of spite. You dared to enter MY realm, and not only have you walked freely expecting no repercussions, but you have also had the arrogance to rechain ME! Insolent mongrels! Go ahead, cross the swamps of the Circle of Defeatists and descend into the Fourth Circle, for the wrath of the Inferno itself has now risen against you! If you wish to continue your foolish quest, then you will have to fight for that right!"_

After another round of hissing laughter, the figure disappeared and the Circle returned to its original state. The souls re-emerged from the waters, temporarily relieved that the Dark One's wrath had not been turned onto them.

Nasus gave Fenrir a very serious look. "From this point forward, Fenrir," he warned, "this quest will become much more challenging. The Dark One does not make idle threats. When he says that he will soon unleash his armies upon us, you can expect him to make good on his word. I can fight the legions of darkness well enough, but you do not have divine strength. Are you prepared to do battle against the forces of ELO Hell if it comes to that?"

Fenrir twirled his staff around his head before slamming it onto the stone bridge. "If the Dark One thinks he can drive me to cowardice with simple words, he's got another thing coming," he growled. "Lead on, commander of Heaven! I am ready to face what comes."

Nasus smiled and nodded approvingly. "It is good that you feel this way," he answered, "for the Fourth Circle contains dangers that would have risen up against you even had the Dark One not made his threat. As we descend lower into the Circles of ELO Hell, you will soon encounter more champions of the League, or at least Demon Lords who have taken their forms."

He turned back towards the darkness of the forest and pointed his staff forward. "Prepare yourself, Fenrir!" he growled. "For your challenges have only just begun!"

/

A/N: Anybody want to take a guess on who the Dark One is? Hint: It's a League champion.


	7. Chapter 7 - The Fourth Circle

A/N: All right, ladies and gentlemen, this will be the first chapter in which other League champions begin to appear! And if you enjoyed the action scene back in Morde's court, there's plenty more where that came from, right here, right now!

Warning: This chapter will be much, MUCH longer than the other ones. Like twice as long, at least.

Chapter 7 – The Fourth Circle

As Fenrir and Nasus approached the cliff that marked the end of the swamp of the Defeatists, Fenrir could not help but gasp in amazement as he stared outward in the Fourth Circle. Unlike the other two Circles, which had seemed relatively peaceful above up, the Fourth Circle was completely covered by a storm of chaos and shadow, from which purple lightning flashed onto the ground.

"I can't see anything from up here!" Fenrir exclaimed.

"You are not meant to," Nasus replied, "for that is the nature of the Fourth Circle. Let us descend down the path."

Sure enough, there was another path carved into the cliff face leading down below. However, Fenrir and Nasus were only able to climb down a short distance when, suddenly, a shriek rent the air. The two looked up to see several bat-like creatures flying towards them, their jaws ready to tear their throats out.

"It's about time they finally gave us a reception!" Fenrir grinned. Nasus rolled his eyes at his young charge's eagerness and fired a beam of holy light from his staff, incinerating several of the creatures instantly. Fenrir, following the spirit's example, shot a bolt of lightning from his staff and struck down several more demon bats. The two did not stop their attacks until every single creature had been blasted out of the sky.

"That wasn't so bad," Fenrir remarked.

"Of course not," Nasus agreed. "Those were _flatars_. The winged beasts of ELO Hell. They are fairly weak individually, and focus on overwhelming their enemies with sheer numbers and tearing them apart with their claws and teeth. Needless to say, however, that against long-ranged magic they are powerless."

"Those demons aren't what's worrying me," Fenrir commented. He pointed down towards the massive shadow storm. "THAT is."

The two climbed down onto the Fourth Circle, passing by three more (thankfully intact) chains as they did so. Unlike the others, there were already many souls waiting fearfully on the outskirts of the Circle. Now that he was closer, Fenrir could see a mighty stone wall reaching high into the sky, stretching to the left and right beyond his vision. He could see only a single gate through which several souls were being shoved into by the demon enforcers that he had seen in the previous circles.

"This is the Fourth Circle of ELO Hell," Nasus explained. "The Circle of the Wardless and the Silent. Here suffer those who never warded their lanes, failed to signal to their allies when the enemy was missing, paid no attention to these warnings, and in general neglected to communicate properly with their team. This gross negligence crippled and ruined their League matches, resulting in many deaths and defeats that could have been averted without difficulty through proper warding, map awareness, and communication."

Nasus turned to look at Fenrir. "Unlike the feeders and defeatists up above, the sin of improper warding and communication can easily be fixed, and yet these souls continued to indulge in their carelessness and inattention. As such, this is the first Circle in which the demons of ELO Hell actively attack and torture these souls, rather than allowing them to wallow in their own punishment. It is also the first Circle which is ruled by its own Demon Lord, granted power by the Dark One."

Fenrir shook his head confused. "What exactly is the punishment of these souls?"

"These souls are sent into the Labyrinth of Darkness," Nasus answered, "where they are forever fated to wander endlessly in its twisting corridors. The shadow storm that you see up above cripples them permanently, corroding their eyesight so that they can barely see ahead of them and distorting sound so that any means of communication is transformed into unintelligible demonic gibberish. These souls cannot help each other escape, for they can barely see or hear each other."

Nasus's eyes glowed red. "But that is not the worst part of their punishment," he added with a growl. "The worst comes with the blades and claws of the Shadow Demons, more powerful demons dwelling within the labyrinth. They lurk in the shadows of the maze, inside bushes, around corners, always waiting to ambush and tear apart any lost shades that are unfortunate enough to cross paths with them. These souls can find no rest, for if they are torn to pieces by the demons, they reform slowly and painfully somewhere else in this vast maze, with no knowledge of their new location. There is only one exit, on the other side. The souls try their hardest to escape the maze, for if they do so they are granted ascension into Heaven. But this one exit is carefully guarded by the lord of the Labyrinth himself, and he will allow no souls to leave while he rules with claw and blade."

"So…" Fenrir mused, "effectively, these souls are trapped here forever."

"Unfortunately, that is indeed the fate of most souls in this labyrinth. A labyrinth that we ourselves must enter in order to proceed in our quest."

Fenrir looked up shocked. "Wait…we have to actually ENTER the labyrinth? Isn't there another way around it?"

Nasus shook his head. "No…" he responded firmly. "There is no other way. The only passage to the Fifth Circle is guarded by the Demon Lord, a creature that we may very well have to engage in combat."

Fenrir took several deep breaths to calm himself down. "I guess we don't have any choice," he muttered, "apart from going back, and I've come too far to stop now."

Nasus nodded approvingly. "Then before we proceed, I must give you this."

He reached out his hand towards Fenrir, which glowed bright yellow. Fenrir felt a holy power course through him, strengthening him and restoring his spirit.

"I grant you my blessing while we remain in the Inferno. Since we have now attracted the Dark One's attraction and hostility, you will need more than just your mortal strength to fight off his forces. You are not invincible, but you will be a force to be reckoned with for even the most powerful demons."

Fenrir closed his eyes. "Wow…I feel great! Strong! Power! Ready to take on everything!" He opened them again. "Let show the Dark One exactly who he's messing with!"

The two made their way to the entrance of the labyrinth. The demons guarding the path growled venomously but refrained from actually attacking them, likely out of fear of Nasus' retribution. Right when they stepped foot into the Labyrinth of Darkness, one of the demons blew a horn and the gate slammed shut behind them, trapping them inside.

Now Fenrir could see how terrifying the maze really was. All around him was complete blackness, the only light coming from an occasional purple lightning bolt from the shadows up above.

Nasus muttered something, and his staff suddenly lit up with a holy light that brightened the area around them considerably.

"Because you are not condemned to this place, you will be able to instinctively find your way to the exit by yourself," he added. "Nevertheless, it would be wise to take some precautionary measures before we move on."

The two traversed through the maze for several minutes, their progress interrupted occasionally by a damned shade frantically running past them.

"Can't the shades see and follow us?" Fenrir asked.

Nasus shook his head sadly. "They cannot. The darkness blinds them to all other light save for the storm, which only gives faint bursts of light to torment and taunt them, and will only be able to communicate with us if you know them personally. There is no help we can give them."

Fenrir sighed. "I figured it was worth a shot to maybe get some damned out of this maze, but as much as it pains me I guess it can't be helped."

Cold laughter suddenly echoed in front of them. _"Why worry about them when you should be worrying about your own heads?"_

A shadow creature suddenly appeared in front of them, carrying two blood-red scimitars crackling with infernal energy.

"This is one of the labyrinth's shadow demons, isn't it?" Fenrir asked in a deadpan tone.

Nasus nodded. Without a word, Fenrir whipped out his staff. To his amazement, it suddenly began to glow a bright blue light similar to the spells that Nasus had used earlier. He had some experience with light magic, but not nearly enough to actually summon celestial power. "This must be the holy blessing Nasus gave me earlier!" he realized.

The shadow demon seemed to recognize the power as well. _"What?" _it hissed. _"The presence of Heaven? Here? Impossible! I haven't seen such power since the Xpecial catastrophe all those years ago!"_

The demon lunged at Fenrir but the summoner swung his staff, shooting the holy light directly at the demon. The creature screamed as the celestial energy smashed right into it, the its very essence tearing the creature apart in an instant. The two scimitars it was carrying dropped to the ground, their dark power snuffed out with their master's destruction.

"As you have figured out for yourself," Nasus remarked once Fenrir's light faded, "the demons in the Labyrinth are particularly weak to holy magic, more so than others of their kin. But be warned," he added. "They are nigh invulnerable to physical combat and are stronger against any non-holy magic."

"Then I will let Shurelya's light guide my way out of this prison and to victory," was all Fenrir had to say in reply.

They proceeded further in the labyrinth, smiting any shadow demons they encountered along the way. Several times, one or the other ended up rescuing a damned soul who would have otherwise been torn to pieces by a demon. Although he couldn't rescue them from their torment entirely, Fenrir felt some peace and satisfaction knowing that he had saved them from the worst for just a little longer.

Just as they were about to approach the end of the labyrinth, Fenrir saw a shade cowering in a corner. A shade that, to his horror, he recognized.

"Canas?" he reached out towards the quivering shade. "Is…is that you?"

The shade looked up towards the voice. "Fe…Fenrir? Impossible! You should still be alive! How…how are you here?" A look of dread and realization appeared on his face. "Don't tell me…you died and are damned here too?"

"No," Fenrir answered to Canas' relief, "I'm not trapped here. I'm merely embarking on a quest through the Circles of ELO Hell, and I'm escorted by a guide sent by Lady Shurelya herself to make sure that I survive."

"Thank Heaven that you have not joined us, then," Canas replied. He became overwhelmed with sorrow. "Look at me, Fenrir!" he burst out crying. "I was a fool! I always forgot to ward and call mias when I was in League matches up above, and now I know how my allies feel whenever they are suddenly ganked out of nowhere with no warning from me. The demons of this place are so unspeakably cruel to all of us. Just when we think we're getting somewhere, they always slice away our hopes. Let my fate be a warning to all those who still live in Runeterra up above."

"Come with us," Fenrir offered, grabbing the soul's somehow physical hand. "We're close to the exit. We'll take you with us and help you ascend."

Nasus suddenly interrupted, his face deadly serious, "If you attempt to actually deliver this shade from the Circle, Fenrir, then we have a problem. I have been strictly forbidden from directly intervening in the fates of these damned. While I will continue to guide you through the labyrinth without violating my mandate since that was your original purpose to begin with, when you come to the chambers of its Demon Lord, you will have to face him alone."

"Alone?" Fenrir repeated incredulously. It hadn't occurred to him that he would have to face the challenges alone at some point.

"You will still have my blessing, but before I would have fought the Demon Lord myself or even bypassed him entirely," Nasus qualified. "Since you are insistent on rescuing Canas from ELO Hell, it must be you alone who faces the Demon Lord when we reach that point. And to defeat one is no easy feat, not even for a mortal empowered with Heaven's grace."

"I'll do whatever it takes," Fenrir replied without blinking. "The souls in this labyrinth deserve their second chance."

Nasus nodded. "Your courage is admirable," he remarked, "but your skill and strength will need to match it if you actually wish to face off against one of ELO Hell's most powerful entities."

"Then before we proceed, I would like to ask: who is this Demon Lord?" Fenrir asked. "Is he another League Champion?"

"More or less, yes. The Lord of the Fourth Circle is Nocturne."

"Nocturne…" Fenrir hissed. He was all too familiar with the champion's hatred of summoners. "Of course. With all of this emphasis on darkness how could he NOT be Lord of the Fourth Circle? If he can't tear us apart in the land of living, he gets to have torment us forever in the Land of the Dead. The perfect revenge."

They turned a corner and saw two mighty double doors which had a shining ward inscribed upon them. The Labyrinth of Darkness's sole exit.

"I must wait here until you have confronted Nocturne," Nasus told Fenrir. "Though I cannot aid you in your battle against him, I can stop any shadow demons from ambushing and shelter Canas for a short while as long as I do not directly empower him with my blessings."

"Thank you, friend," Fenrir answered. He took a deep breath and pulled open the doors to Nocturne's Hall.

He could see another set of doors on the opposite side that presumably led into the Fifth Circle, and a beam of holy light shining down from the ceiling onto the floor in the center of the room which could only be the portal to Heaven. As he looked around, he saw to his horror several damned chained to the walls, many of them with brutal slashes and wounds, all of them desperately scrabbling and lunging at the beam of light but unable to embrace its promise of freedom.

"_Ah ha ha ha ha ha…" _Nocturne's voice echoed to him from the shadows. _"The perfect torment. What could cause greater agony then seeing the light of salvation directly in front of you, but being unable to reach it and ascend to paradise?"_

"You really are a monster, Nocturne!" Fenrir snarled. "Now I see why you haven't destroyed this portal already."

"_The Dark One tried to destroy the portal, long ago," _Nocturne hissed. _"But Heaven's power was too great for him to succeed. So instead of destroying it, we corrupted its purpose to our advantage. The fools you see around you are forever enslaved to the darkness even as they are inches away from the light of hope."_

"Not if I can help it!" Fenrir retorted, taking out his staff. The orb instantly glowed with the same holy light that he had used earlier against the shadow demons.

Nocturne sneered. _"You think Nasus's blessing makes you invincible? You forget, mortal…" _his voice lost its humor and became much more menacing, _"I was granted power by the Dark One himself and have been feasting on the souls of humans for years!"_

The room instantly faded to a deep dark-red, obscuring even the beam of light. "This has to be Nocturne's ultimate!" Fenrir realized. "I can't see anything!" He quickly created an energy shield with his newfound holy power…only for it to be instantly smashed as Nocturne dived into it. Fenrir was sent flying onto the ground though he thankfully hadn't taken any damage.

The Nightmare lunged at Fenrir, attacking him with a frenzy of his blades. The summoner could only barely block the Demon Lord's attacks with his Heaven-empowered staff, but he was quickly beginning to tire out. Nocturne, seizing the opportunity, began to infect Fenrir with horrifying nightmares. The summoner barely managed to resist Nocturne's mental terror, but this caused him to miss the next block. Nocturne's follow-up attack sliced right into him, cutting a deep gash across his stomach and slamming him back onto the cold floor.

"_You summoners are such pathetic hypocrites,"_ Nocturne laughed, preparing for the kill. _"You claim to serve the forces of justice and peace, and yet you are blind to your own flaws. And now your arrogance will reward you with a slow and painful death!"_

"I know I can't defeat you by myself," Fenrir coughed out, "but you forget. I have divine power at my side!"

Drawing upon all his remaining energy, Fenrir struck Nocturne in the eyes with an orb of light. The creature screamed and faltered, giving enough time for Fenrir to utter a prayer to Shurelya and twirl his staff around his head. An aura of holy power erupted around him, not only shielding him from the darkness but also healing the wound that Nocturne had just inflicted on him.

"_Argh! What is this power?" _Nocturne hissed as he shielded his eyes from the light.

"I learned a dark spell that calls the shadows to protect me many years ago," Fenrir explained coolly. "What's to prevent me from the doing the same with holy power instead?"

Fenrir advanced upon the Eternal Nightmare, sword and staff ready to attack. The Demon Lord attempted to cast his ultimate again, but the holy aura flared and shredded the shadows away. The empowered summoner now went on the offensive, combining magic and melee to tear away at Nocturne's defenses. Nocturne attempted to land blow after blow upon his enemy, but Fenrir's holy magic healed him just as quickly. Although the two battled for several more seconds with neither giving an inch to their enemy, Fenrir suddenly smashed his staff upward into Nocturne's chin, sending the creature flying backwards. The summoner raised his sword and brought the blade down upon Nocturne's shoulder, cutting a clean slice across the nightmare's ethereal chest.

"_Impossible!" _Nocturne roared in disbelief. _"I am the Lord of the Fourth Circle and the embodiment of nightmares! I will not be beaten by a filthy mortal summoner!"_

"You called us blind, Nightmare, but you fell victim to the very same sin you accused us of committing," Fenrir snarled as Nocturne howled in pain. "You've been preying on the souls of the weak in this maze for years, and you think that makes you all-powerful? Never once did you consider that the outcome would be any different against an enemy who could fight back. And now you will pay for your mistake, and for enslaving all these souls from hope for so long!"

Before Nocturne could react, Fenrir swung his blade around and stabbed it right into the Nightmare's face. The blade glowed a bright yellow and Nocturne screamed in agony as holy energies coursed through him, his once dark body glowing and fracturing as the light tore at his very being. Fenrir slashed the Nightmare's face one final time, and the Demon Lord exploded in a shower of holy light, his shadows utterly destroyed. The only trace that remained of the former Lord of the Fourth Circle were his cruel, twisted blades.

The door opened behind him and Nasus stormed in, Canas following close behind. Fenrir could see several discarded blades in the maze corridor beyond. No doubt Nasus had been just as busy.

The spirit could not hide the look of surprise on his face. "You destroyed Nocturne?" he gasped.

"A little innovative thinking and some holy power did the trick," Fenrir responded nonchalantly. He turned to face the chained souls. "I think these souls have more than learned their lesson."

Nasus nodded, "Since you defeated Lord Nocturne you have earned the right to do with these souls as you please, and I am no longer bound by my mandate." He raised his staff, and all around the chamber the chains of the souls shattered and broke. All of them rushed forward towards the holy light, many of them praising and thanking Shurelya, Fenrir, and Nasus for finally delivering them from their torment.

Canas turned to his old friend. "It is time for me to go, old friend," he said, his face at peace now. "Thank you for saving me."

"Rest in peace," Fenrir replied with a smile on his face. Canas nodded and entered the beam of light. The last thing that Fenrir saw of his friend was the joy and peace of having his torture finally end.

"You have done well, my friend," Nasus placed a hand on Fenrir's shoulder. "For you have finally given not just these souls, but all the souls in the Fourth Circle, a true chance at redemption. Destroying Nocturne not only opened the portal to Heaven proper, but also weakened his accursed Shadow Storm. Though these souls must still suffer the labyrinth and its Shadow Demons, they will have a much greater chance of finding salvation now than they have ever had before."

"_Heh heh heh heh heh…that is not all that you have accomplished, mortal," _a voice hissed. The Dark One's familiar silhouette appeared in front of the door to the Fifth Circle. _"Well done, Fenrir. I am very impressed. Countless fools have attempted to challenge the Demon Lords of ELO Hell, and all have failed. That is, until you. I offer you my thanks, mortal, for you have done me a great service indeed. Service that I will gladly accept in exchange for allowing a few meaningless souls to escape from the pit. Keep fighting, mortal. I will await you in the Ninth Circle."_

Fenrir's face clouded with worry. "Why do I feel like killing Lord Nocturne may have been a serious mistake?"

Nasus shook his head. "I do not know, Fenrir. We can only wait and see how exactly the Eternal Nightmare's destruction benefitted the Dark One. Even so, by destroying Nocturne here you have trapped his limited essence to his already bound and chained form in Runeterra."

"And will the destruction of Nocturne affect the champion up above?"

"It is hard to say. But I can tell you this," Nasus suddenly cracked a smile, "if Nocturne is weaker now than he was before, the Institute of War can always pretend that they nerfed him again."

/

A/N: Nocturne was one of my main junglers in Season 2. Then he got nerf after nerf after nerf. Sigh…If he gets nerfed anytime soon, blame Fenrir.

This chapter was much, MUCH longer than I thought it would be. Let me know if you liked it or if you'd rather I stick to shorter chapters in the future.

Until then, keep reading and reviewing! The half-way point is near!


	8. Chapter 8 - The Fifth Circle

A/N: I bet about half of you thought Nocturne was the Dark One, didn't you? :P

No added League Champion here, but anyone who's played League of Legends in its older seasons will recognize the character I will include in this chapter…with a little retcon to fit in with newer Lore.

I'm going to add a Disclaimer (apart from the obvious "I don't own League" one): Any descriptions of Heaven, Hell, or magic associated with them in this fanfic are purely for the sake of the story and do not reflect my or anybody else's actual religious beliefs. Just making it clear.

Chapter 8 – The Fifth Circle

Fenrir looked down at the cursed blades that Nocturne had left behind. "Should we just leave these here?" he asked. "If part of Nocturne's power is in those blades, I don't want to have them lying around for the next shadow demon to pick up and become the new Eternal Nightmare."

Nasus examined the blades carefully. "These blades contain two layers of dark magic," he analyzed them after a few seconds. "The first simply contains a concentration of shadow magic and can be used by anyone without penalty. Unfortunately, they also contain traces of Nocturne's malevolent spirit, a spirit that will seek to destroy or corrupt you over time. However, you will be able to wield these blades and the dark power they contain if we eliminate this second layer, which we can do with ease thanks to the presence of Heaven here."

"…and you or Heaven have no problem with me using Shadow magic? Isn't darkness everything that you stand against?"

Nasus shook his head. "A common misconception. There are some branches of dark magic that are indeed abominations, such as Necromancy, but merely using the shadows as a form of combat is not inherently evil. In fact, quite a few spirits who now serve the Lady in Heaven were once demons who repented of their crimes, and some of whom still use magic that humans would consider 'dark' to this day."

He picked up Nocturne's blades and placed them within the beam of holy light. Nothing happened at first, but then Fenrir saw wisps of shadow burning away from the former Demon Lord's weapons. He thought he could hear a faint scream as the process continued, until finally Nasus removed them and gave them to his charge.

"You have earned these weapons as spoils of war for defeating Lord Nocturne," he explained further. "Not only are they much sharper and stronger than the average blade, but they will also grant you additional dark powers and enhance those that you already possess. You will find them to be very useful when we engage forces of ELO Hell that are resistant to holy power."

Nasus was about to say more, but suddenly a huge earthquake shook the entire circle. Fenrir could feel the tremor coming from the doors that supposedly led to the Fifth Circle.

"What was that?" Fenrir asked anxiously.

"We must move, quickly!" Nasus responded with newfound urgency. The two barged through the doors and made their way down the cliff face as fast as they could. When they were about halfway down to the Fifth Circle, Fenrir suddenly stopped.

"Oh, no…" he gasped in horror. Now he understood why the Dark One had been so pleased with Nocturne's defeat. The three _Ukhurkgaium _that were supposed to hold the Emperor of ELO Hell in place had been cut completely in two. By slaying the Lord of the Fourth Circle, he had just weakened the prison of pure evil.

Nasus grimly surveyed the damage. "This is very, very bad," he muttered. "The destruction of these three chains has suddenly granted the Dark One a degree of freedom that he could not enjoy beforehand. Although he cannot physically move from his prison in the lowest Circle, his influence in the lower Circles will be much stronger and he will be able to now intensify the torments of the souls trapped up to the Seventh Circle."

"What have I done…" Fenrir clasped his hands over his head in guilt.

Nasus shook his head. "Do not despair over this, Fenrir. I did not know any more than you did that the Nightmare's defeat would send out shockwaves of energy that would shatter these chains. And the damned trapped in the lower pits of ELO Hell do not deserve too much pity for the malicious acts they committed in life. Even so," he added with a growl, "I would refrain from actually slaying any other Demon Lords, lest you free the Dark One further and allow him to solidify his grip over the souls up above who still have a chance at redemption."

"I understand, Nasus," Fenrir replied firmly. "I may have been fooled once, but I will not repeat my mistakes in the future."

The two completed their descent down the cliff face. Fenrir noticed that unlike the other Circles, the bottom of the Fourth's Circle's cliff face actually connected with the Fifth Circle as opposed to another abyss separating the two. A bit farther way, he could see three humongous holes in the ground, holes that he guessed were the only remaining trace of the shattered chains.

"We are approaching the border between those who are merely bad and those who ruined the matches of others with their personality," Nasus remarked.

The two followed a stone walkway for several minutes before it led to what looked like a small dock leading to a river, with many gigantic statues placed around the perimeter.

Fenrir sniffed the air absentmindedly and instantly gagged, covering his nose with his fingers. "What the…" he rasped. "In Runeterra's name, where is that horrifying smell coming from?"

"This is the River _Dalgum_," Nasus explained, secretly thankful that his angelic senses were immune to the stench coming from the river. "The River of Filth, a disgusting stream of sewage and grime. It is the second of three great rivers that pass through ELO Hell. Unlike the _T__iimûrz_, which merely served as a boundary between the living world and the First Circle, the _Dalgum_ itself is the Fifth Circle."

Nasus gestured towards the statues. "To the _Dalgum _are condemned the Instalockers. Here suffer those who always select a champion in matches the moment they are able to, ignoring the rights and needs of their teammates or without consideration of the team compositions of either the ally or the enemy. As punishment, they are locked forever in cages and lowered into the River of Filth. As they took away the freedoms of their allies in League matches, so now are they forever enslaved within these cages, stewing in filth for all eternity."

Looking more closely, Fenrir could now see that all of the statues had several spiked steel cages dangling from various places. In those cages he could see several shades crowded together with barely any room to move. The cages were all lowered into the river in various degrees, with a few almost completely submerged.

"Why are the cages at different heights?" he asked.

"It depends on frequency and severity," Nasus explained. "Those who constantly called a role or threatened to feed their enemies, locked a champion even after one of their allies rightfully called a role and selected a champion before them, or didn't even bother communicating with their team are submerged up to their heads in the slime of the River. By contrast, those who followed the rightful order of selection but still instalocked a champion without regard for ally or enemy team comp are not punished to the same degree. You should also be aware that the more frequently a person instalocks, the more deeply their shade is submerged in the river."

Fenrir shook his head. "I can't say that I sympathize with them, at least not to the same degree as the shades in the higher Circles," he muttered. "Solo queue is full of these annoying jerks, and more often than not they end up feeding and just being very, very irritating."

Nasus gave his charge a sharp look. "Do not think yourself so high above them. After all, you were once one of them long in your early days in the League."

The summoner sighed. "You're right. I was a jerk back then just like the rest of them. I guess the one thing keeping me out of the Fifth Circle is that I matured, regretted my actions, and stopped instalocking like a child."

"Repentance is the key to avoiding the depths of the Inferno," was all Nasus said in reply. He lifted his staff, which began to flare with a yellow light. The eyes of the surrounding statues suddenly blazed a similar yellow, as if they were part of a massive beacon system.

As soon as the final statue's eyes lit up, Fenrir heard a roar from the sky. He looked up to see a massive dragon-like creature flying towards them.

"Don't we have to kill this one too," he groaned.

Nasus shook his head. "No, Fenrir. Ebonmaw will carry us across the _Dalgum_ to the City of Dicks and the Circles encased within. He is our only passage there." The jackal-headed spirit raised an eyebrow. "Unless, of course, you would like to swim?"

Fenrir took another glance at the grime-filled river. "That's all right. I think I'll stick with Ebonmaw."

The aforementioned dragon landed on the dock in front of the two. Ebonmaw looked exactly like what Fenrir remembered of him before his death at the hands of Vilemaw, although now he was partly encased in a steel armor that doubled as a type of seating. Fenrir could even see a ladder-like structure hanging down from his neck.

"**Greetings, Nasus," **Ebonmaw nodded at Fenrir's guide. **"It has been a long time since I last saw you." **He looked towards the summoner. **"And you're not alone."**

"This is Fenrir, a living summoner from the land above," Nasus explained. "He has been granted a quest sanctioned from Heaven to journey through the Circles of ELO Hell. We seek passage across the _Dalgum_ to the City of Dicks."

Ebonmaw nodded. **"I know who you are, Fenrir, and what you've done. To defeat a Demon Lord is an impressive feat for a mortal, even one empowered with Heaven's grace." **The dragon's expression changed to something resembling a frown. **"Although there will almost certainly be repercussions, both good and ill, as a result of Nocturne's destruction."**

"We know of the consequences and will do our best to repair the damage," Nasus replied.

"**Climb on," **Ebonmaw instructed; the two immediately complied.

The dragon spread his wings and soared into the air away from the shore. Fenrir turned towards his guide. "I'm surprised that Ebonmaw is this friendly towards us," he commented. "Every other creature of power in this place has treated us with at least some degree of hostility."

"Ebonmaw merely transports souls and demons across the _Dalgum_," Nasus explained. "He stands against the Dark One, and makes his opposition known by refusing to actively take part in the tortures of the damned in the Fifth Circle. The Dark One cannot punish him for this since he cannot rescind Ebonmaw's duties or powers."

"**These damned are already separated from grace and Paradise for all eternity," **Ebonmaw added from underneath him. **"I find no need and possess no desire to brutalize them any further."**

"Wow…" was all Fenrir could say. "I have to say I misjudged you, Ebonmaw. Considering your reputation as the former Terror of the Shadow Isles, you seem much more moral and honorable than what I expected."

"**My experiences in this place have changed me. Hopefully, for the better."**

Fenrir looked again at Nasus. "Are there any other beings of power who have maintained their morality or stand opposed to the Dark One in the Inferno, Nasus?"

Nasus nodded. "One, and you have met him already. The Judge of the Damned has no more desire to see the Dark One gain full dominion over this place than you or me."

"Wait…do you mean Lord Mordekaiser?"

"Indeed," the jackal-headed being affirmed. "Though he is not nearly as virtuous or noble as Ebonmaw and freely admits his own evil, Mordekaiser also opposes the Dark One and does have a consistent if twisted sense of honor and justice. If the Emperor of ELO Hell was able to control the punishments of ELO Hell, all of its souls would suffer and burn in unspeakably horrible ways regardless of their sins in life. Mordekaiser frustrates his plans by distributing the punishments as he does so that souls are only punished according to the severity of the crime."

Ebonmaw interrupted at this point, **"Do not hope to find potential allies here, Fenrir. The Demon Lords of the lower Circles follow the Dark One willingly and take great pleasure in tormenting the shades of the damned. I would not be surprised if you had to battle them, as you did with Nocturne up above."**

Fenrir shuddered slightly at the memory of the battle and looked forward. The _Dalgum_ seemed deceptively peaceful, hiding its secrets underneath its brown surface. They had long passed the last of the statue prisons, and now Fenrir could see the outline of a shore and, in the far distance, the shape of a mighty fortress. He couldn't make out any details, but he had a feeling that he was about to finally see the City of Dicks.

Ebonmaw landed on the edge of the shore, and instructed Nasus and Fenrir to climb down. **"Best of luck to you, mortal. And be wary of the passage to the City of Dicks. The Dark One knows you are coming and has prepared an ambush for you, with many more demons than you have encountered previously. Nasus's blessing and Nocturne's blades will strengthen your light and darkness powers. Now is the time for you to test just how much you are truly capable of."**

"My thanks, Ebonmaw," Fenrir replied. Nasus gave a similar message of gratitude, and the dragon flew off.

The jackal-headed spirit turned to his friend. "Be warned, Fenrir. You are about to see tortures that are truly horrifying, done to those whose depravity and vice strip them of any hope of redemption. Now that we have arrived at the City of Dicks, you must follow through with this quest to the very end.

/

A/N: I bet none of you expected Ebonmaw to be a "nice guy", did you? Goes to show that not everyone in ELO Hell is a jackass.

From this point forward, the tone of the story will be a lot less sympathetic…and there will be a lot more karmic payback. There's a reason why it's called the City of "Dicks."

Read and review please!


	9. Chapter 9 - An Infernal Battle

A/N: Sorry about the long wait time, I've had a lot of crap to deal with recently regarding college and all that fun stuff.

Chapter 9 – An Infernal Battle

A roar suddenly bellowed from the direction of the City. Fenrir whirled around to see a ghaashakhleaping towards him from out of nowhere, axe raised to decapitate him. Nasus acted quickly, swinging his staff to deflect the demon's weapon and quickly following through with a smash to the head. The creature collapsed to the ground, but no sooner had the demon evaporated when cold, maniacal laughter suddenly echoed around the entire Circle. The sky, which had only seconds before been black as night, erupted into a hellish orange. Hordes of demons suddenly appeared in front of them as though they had been hidden by a foul illusion. Fenrir could now see several undead skeleton warriors, demon soldiers, shadow demons, a few ghaashakhsand mages, and strange swamp-like creatures wielding what appeared to be a kunai attached to a long chain.

"Ebonmaw was right!" Fenrir gasped. "The Dark One WAS planning to give us a welcoming party. And he's gotten help from every Circle we've been to so far!"

"_Speak of the Devil, and he shall appear," _the lord of ELO Hell's voice sneered. His shadow form materialized above the City of Dicks, towering above them all. _"Now you see what destroying Lord Nocturne accomplished. I must extend my gratitude to you for destroying three of the Ukhurkgaium that have kept me chained in this pit for so long."_

"You overestimate your own freedom," Nasus snapped back. "Many of the Chains still hold strong, and now that we know what causes their destruction, rest assured that you will have no freedom than that which you have just been granted!"

The Dark One laughed. _"What makes you think that I need your help now, traitor? You yourself have witnessed how the chains have begun to weaken, and now that I have part of my power restored, what's to stop me from breaking them on my own?"_

"Traitor?" Fenrir asked in his mind. "What is he talking about?" Out loud, he retorted, "and what's to stop us from fixing and strengthening them again?"

"_You will never get the chance, mortal."_ The Dark One suddenly reared his head backward and released a deafening roar. From behind the walls of the City of Dicks a humongous spider demon climbed onto the field, its body covered entirely in dark flames.

"_S__hatûpul! Shatûpuluk!"_ The Dark One snarled and pointed at the two, before his shadow faded away. The spider demon shrieked and his forces launched themselves upon Nasus and Fenrir.

"Fenrir!" Nasus called out as he prepared his staff. "That spider is a _Tahkbork_, one of ELO Hell's most powerful creatures! Engage the demons with your new powers while I deal with this monster!"

Fenrir uneasily looked over the onrushing hordes. His first instinct was to unleash his ice spells on them, but then he remembered how effortlessly the mages had blocked them in the past.

"I guess there isn't anything else for me to do but charge right in!" he thought. He unsheathed Nocturne's blade and shouted, "Dushtala Bûrgulu!"

A storm of shadows erupted around Fenrir, but this was not the spell that he had known for so long. Empowered by the unholy essence of Nocturne's sword, the storm now swirled with dark red and purple lightning. Fenrir charged into the incoming army, the storm now taking on a feral life of its own as it lashed out at its victims.

"Their spells don't protect them against dark magic?" Fenrir realized in puzzled delight as he cut through the front line. He quickly dodged a ghaashakh's axe and sliced a path to the nearest mage.

"_Suffer…"_ the dark sorcerer hissed as it fired the Curse of a Thousand Fails. Knowing that such a distraction would be fatal in the middle of an enemy army, Fenrir deflected the curse with a magical shield before he sliced the mage in half with Nocturne's blade. The entire demon's body violently exploded in a burst of tainted shadows, and Fenrir felt a physical wave of raw fear spread from its mangled corpse.

The summoner braced himself for the oncoming rush of terror, but to his confusion and relief it merely passed by him. The surrounding enemies weren't as fortunate. The wave didn't travel far, but every demon soldier or undead that it touched dropped its weapon and either clutched its head in a panic or started fleeing in sheer terror. Fenrir wasted no time in taking advantage of this unexpected turn of events and slaughtered them before they had a chance to overcome their fear.

"It was by my hand and Heaven's blessing that Nocturne, Demon Lord of the Fourth Circle met his end!" he shouted tauntingly to his foes. "Come and face me, if you think you will fare any better!"

A ghaashakh and shadow demon lunged at him. Fenrir confidently fired a beam of holy light at them only for it to be deflected another mage's protection. Fenrir barely had time to avoid getting eviscerated by their combined attack.

"I shouldn't be tempting fate like that," he muttered. "It's really ironic that the only magic those sorcerers can't resist is their own unholy powers."

Fenrir was about to target the next mage when, to his astonishment, columns of hellfire suddenly exploded from the ground and incinerated the dark legions, utterly obliterating hordes of demonic creatures. When the assault finally ceased, Fenrir could see that about a third of his enemies had been utterly routed…and there were no mages left to protect the rest.

"Nasus…" he immediately thought. He turned to cheer his friend on…and his good cheer turned into sheer terror.

The spirit guide had undergone a horrifying transformation that could be considered as nothing less than demonic. His entire body now glowed a volcanic orange, yellow flames spewing out from his eyes and mouth. A black stone helm and gauntlets had replaced his formerly golden holy armor, and his weapon was now a dark halberd that emanated with malicious energy. The formerly serene Nasus now looked ready to literally unleash Hell upon its own forces.

"**Ushumlat, snork dalgum!" **the demonic Nasus snarled at the _Tahkbork_. The spidery demon screeched in reply and slammed its front claws upon him. Nasus deflected the strike easily and started slamming his halberd down upon the spider's face.

"Wow…" was all Fenrir could say as the infernal titans clashed with each other, the demons surrounding him similarly transfixed. Nasus swung his halberd around his head and slammed it onto the ground, releasing a wave of shadows that smashed into the spider demon. The creature retaliated by spitting a web of pure flame right onto the jackal's face. Nasus roared in anger and pain as the web hit his face, but he quickly used his left hand to remove it before the two returned to dealing physical blows.

Fenrir almost panicked as a kunai attached to a chain suddenly latched itself around his staff. He could see one of the swamp creatures triumphantly leering at him, ready to wrench his weapon away. Calling upon his divine blessing, Fenrir yanked at the chain towards him, hauling the struggling demon towards him before he cleaved it in half with Nocturne's blade. Another wave of fear energy erupted from its disemboweled corpse, sending the nearby demons scattering in terror. As Fenrir prepared to pursue them, a roar of agony from the titans' battle attracted everyone's attention. Demon and human alike turned to see Nasus slice one of the spider's front legs completely from its body. The _tahkbork_ screeched in pain as the hellish spirit smashed the other front leg in the joint, causing the spider to collapse forward under its own body weight. Helpless before its enemy, the monster could only feebly struggle as Nasus lifted the blade of his halberd and smashed it upon the monster's head, ending its miserable existence.

Nasus roared in triumph as he lifted the spider's severed head from its carcass and hurled it into the _Dalgum_. He then twirled his halberd around his head, causing more blasts of hellfire to erupt from the ground and wipe out more legions of Hell.

The demonic army's will to fight was utterly destroyed. The undead and lesser demons broke ranks and fled, heading towards the distant city or throwing themselves into the garbage-filled river. The ghaashakhs and shadow demons attempted to make a final stand but Fenrir was already unleashing his fury upon them, blasting them apart with a barrage of ice and holy magic. Nasus had already turned his attention to the swamp demons, throwing them into the _Dalgum_ or outright tearing them apart with his ferocious attacks. The two did not stop their counter-assault until every single demon had either been killed or fled to the refuge of the City.

Once Fenrir had finally caught his breath he turned to face his guide, awe and fear reverberating throughout his body. "How…" he breathed, "how did you…"

"Transform into a demon with the power to destroy one of ELO Hell's most powerful monsters?" Nasus asked. He had shrunk back down to normal size but was still in his infernal form. "Think, Fenrir, and you will know the answer."

Fenrir searched his mind, suddenly remembering the Dark One's words before the battle had begun. "He called you a traitor…" he recollected, eyes widening. "But that means…"

"Yes…" Nasus growled. "I was not always an agent of Heaven. Centuries ago, I served the forces of darkness as one of True Hell's cruelest and most ruthless Demon Lords, before I repented of my wickedness and turned to the light"

"Why did the Dark One call you a traitor?" Fenrir asked.

"There is nothing that the forces of wickedness despise more than a soul who has turned from the path of immorality to righteousness," Nasus explained. "Evil is always looking for souls to corrupt and bring to damnation. To lose a soul to the light, especially one such as myself, is a crippling blow to the power of evil."

"How are you still able to assume your demonic form if you repented?"

Nasus sighed. "It is always a part of me that will never fully fade away, no matter how long I serve under Shurelya's guidance. I assumed it here because, here in the depths of the darkness, I am much more powerful. But do not fear, friend, for I will not turn back to the darkness now…or ever."

Fenrir looked towards the distant city. "Our journey will take us into that city, won't it?"

Nasus nodded. "From this point forwards, Fenrir, the souls that you will encounter will not take to your presence kindly. They were wrathful and malicious in life, and continue to be so in death even as they are punished for their sins. Spare no pity for these disgraceful phantoms, for they will neither give nor deserve it."

/

A/N: I know this chapter had nothing to do with a League sin, but I figured you guys would want a battle scene somewhere, especially to see what Fenrir can do with Nocturne's Blade and Nasus's holy blessing.

In case you didn't figure it out, Nocturne's blade is not only much more deadly than the average weapon, but also empowers Fenrir's dark magic and sends out a wave of energy that sends enemies fleeing in terror when he kills a demon with it. It has more abilities that you'll see at a later date.

And yes, if you like to visualize stories, Nasus is now in his Infernal skin.

Read and review please!


	10. Chapter 10 - The City of Dicks

A/N: Sorry for the delays, I've had such a BRUTAL week. Two lab reports and a final all within the course of two days. But enough of that. We are now about to enter into the darker, nastier corners of ELO Hell in all of their unholy glory!

Because we are now entering asshole and toxic categories of the damned, more…uh…contemporary and…unpleasant…language will sometimes be used. You have been warned!

Chapter 10 – The City of Dicks

As Fenrir and the now-Infernal Nasus cautiously approached the distant city, Fenrir occasionally saw lines of chained souls moving in the opposite direction towards the _Dalgum_. The souls varied wildly in their physical state; while some seemed merely gaunt or bore only a few lashes from a whip, others were burned entirely from the waist down. They were carefully flanked by Demon guardians that whipped and beat at any who moved too slowly or tried to resist. Although the demons coldly gazed at Fenrir, a death glare and a growl from Nasus were more than enough to fend them off their unwanted attention.

"Where are those souls being led?" Fenrir asked as the latest group faded out of view.

"Those are the trashtalkers," Nasus explained with a snarl. "These damned are gathered from deep within the Sixth and Seventh Circles, and must suffer an additional punishment to that which they are already forced to endure. Every day, they are forced to the banks of the _Dalgum_, and must drink from its putrid waters on pain of being torn to pieces."

Fenrir's jaw dropped in shock. "They…actually have to…DRINK…from there?" he choked out. He tried to imagine himself in that state, but just as quickly forced the images away from his mind.

Nasus nodded, showing only the barest hint of a sardonic smile. "In life, their words were filled with malice, hypocrisy, and hate. Here in the darkness, they must swallow back the garbage that they spewed out of their mouths now, and for all eternity."

Fenrir tried to feel sympathy for them, but then he remembered his own experiences with trashtalkers. All too well, he recollected how they had always heaped insults upon him or fellow teammates for making the smallest mistake and how they always condemned the rest of their team with abuse even if they were the ones who had made the poor decisions.

"You know what?" Fenrir replied with a mixture of satisfaction and bitterness. "They deserve their fate. Let them suffer."

Nasus raised an eyebrow. "That was a surprisingly brutal and cold comment," he remarked. "I don't disagree with you, but do you not feel the sympathy that you expressed for the damned in the higher circles?"

"I remember you specifically telling me not to feel any sympathy for the damned punished in the Sixth Circle or lower," Fenrir countered dryly, "and I'm starting to see why."

Nasus nodded in acknowledgment and the two walked closer to the city. As the battlements came into view, Fenrir could now more clearly see mighty stone towers and walls, with a gate accessible only by a single bridge that spanned across a chasm of fire and lava.

Fenrir's eyes widened when he saw the battlements. "Oh, in Shurleya's name!" he exclaimed in disbelief. "Are those towers seriously shaped like middle fingers?"

The jackal guardian gazed impassively at the curve obsidian towers. "The City of Dicks is Hell's eternal insult towards Heaven. The Infernal Realm's demons will never again taste the glory of salvation, and so they erected this city as an act of defiance, a twisted mockery and an affront to Paradise."

Fenrir wasn't impressed. "Looks more like the demons of ELO Hell were butthurt about getting their asses kicked," he muttered.

Nasus actually rolled his eyes. "I did not say that the demons were ever mature in their behavior," he responded with a hint of sarcasm.

Within a few minutes they approached the bridge that led to the City of Dicks. Fenrir looked down over the stone railing into the flaming chasm below. "Where does that river of flame and destruction lead?" he asked.

"The flaming river is part of the Seventh Circle of ELO Hell," Nasus answered. "I will tell you more once we enter that Circle on safer ground. For there is only one safe passage down to the Circles below, and it is through the City of Dicks that we must pass."

Fenrir suddenly heard a snarl coming from in front of them. He looked up to see a guard baring its fangs at him, already holding a wicked sword in its hand. The summoner prepared his own weapon, but Nasus was already one step ahead of him. As the demon lunged at Fenrir, Nasus swiftly grabbed the mace and smashed the assailant's head into pieces with his halberd. The other demons quickly backed away, allowing the two to cross the bridge unmolested.

As Fenrir looked towards the gates of the city, he noticed that in front of the gates was the statue of a mighty winged demon, its skin painted blood red and adorned with dark iron armor. There was already a skeletal warrior approaching the statue in front of them. Nasus signaled for Fenrir to stop moving.

"Do not come any closer," he warned. A few seconds later, Fenrir learned why. The demonic statue suddenly pounced onto the hapless undead, grabbing its entire body and devouring the head before tossing the rest of the body over the bridge into the infernal river below.

Fenrir cringed. "I'll let you talk to him," he decided. Nasus nodded and approached the guardian, halberd held tightly in his hands.

The demonic gatekeeper stared coldly at him. **"Who dares disturb my rest?"** it growled.

"I am Nasus, Servant of Shurelya and Commander of Heaven's armies," Nasus responded evenly. "I am accompanying this mortal summoner, Fenrir, on a journey through the Circles of ELO Hell. Our passage has been sanctioned by Heaven. We request passage into the City of Dicks."

The gatekeeper's eyes flashed a bright red for a second. **"Hmm**…" it mused. **"You possess the authority, of that there is no doubt. As such, you are free to enter. But there is something about you…you belong to Shurelya, and yet you have an aura of darkness around you filled with demonic energies. No ordinary celestial would ever possess such an aura, much less freely exhibit it freely."**

It shook its head. **"No matter. You and your charge may pass unhindered by me. But I cannot answer for the demons dwelling within the city."**

"My thanks, Gahoachma," Nasus answered. He turned to Fenrir. "It is now safe for you to approach."

Fenrir did so cautiously, and as he approached Gahoachma turned its attention to him. **"You are the first living mortal to have ever crossed these borders," **he commented. **"Do not forget the torments you have seen here, lest you make this Infernal realm your final resting place."**

"I will not forget," Fenrir answered solemnly. Gahoachma snorted. **"It is easy to say those words, but even easier to become one with the rest of the noobs," **was his only reply before he stepped aside. _**"Badzdoraz!"**_he roared.

The dark city gates swung open, and Nasus and Fenrir stepped inside. The summoner gazed in horrified wonder as he beheld the depths city for the first time.

If Demacia had made a pact with the Devil, Fenrir was certain that the City of Dicks would be the unholy aftermath. All around him were buildings had been shaped into desolate, twisted mockeries of the shining city up above. From inside several of the buildings, fiery light flashed from windows and the screams of torment echoed from deep within the structures.

This was nothing compared to the streets. The broken, ruined walkways were filled with enslaved souls chained together, being mercilessly whipped and beaten by demonic guardians and overseers. While some of the damned were merely being forced to walk about, others were pushing loads of stone or carrying weights of iron on their backs.

"Behold, Fenrir!" Nasus declared. "The City of Dicks and the Sixth Circle of ELO Hell, the Circle of Arrogance!"

"Why are these souls beaten so brutally by the demons living in this city?" Fenrir asked.

"In life, these souls looked down on their fellow summoners and treated ally and enemy alike with disrespect and contempt," Nasus snarled with a trace of disgust. "They carried in their hearts a delusion of superiority that tainted their souls, and these were the fools who unrighteously lashed out at any attempt to sway them from their own ideas and actions. Here in the Sixth Circle, they are reduced to servitude at the lowest dredges of society, left to the mercy of their demon captors. For there is nothing more demeaning to the arrogant and prideful than to be made a worthless slave for eternity."

"I've met plenty of people like that," Fenrir growled. "The League and all of Valoran are full of them."

One of the shades suddenly shouted at him. "Who are you, filthy dog, who thinks you can walk among us?" he yelled. "You think you are so high and mighty? Come join the rest of us!"

"I have my freedom before me," Fenrir taunted back, "which is more than you can say, wretch!"

"How dare you speak back to me!" the shade screamed. He launched itself at Fenrir, who promptly responded by taking the hilt of Nocturne's blade and slamming it right onto his assailant's face. The shade gasped in pain as Fenrir roughly kicked him backwards into the rest of his fellow slaves.

The shade attempted to rise again, but the demon guardians were already slicing him with their blades and slashing his flesh with their claws, brutally crippling him until he could barely move.

"This one clearly hasn't learned his lesson," hissed the overseer in charge. "Take him to the prison. Lord Vucarik will deal with him!"

Upon hearing Vucarik's name, the shade's attitude immediately became much more fearful and desperate. "No, no, please! Not him! I'll keep my mouth shut from now on, please! Have mercy!"

"I don't think so," the overseer growled back. "This isn't your first outburst, and I've had just about enough of your attitude." He turned to some guards. "Take him away!"

The shade could only wail in lament as the guards roughly grabbed him and dragged him deeper into the city. The demon overseer turned to Fenrir and Nasus for just a brief moment before focusing back on his slaves.

"Bah!" he spat. "Keep moving, scum!"

Fenrir and Nasus watched as the slave line disappeared. "These torments are so much more…vicious…than the ones I have seen in the Upper Circles," Fenrir commented.

"That is because the souls imprisoned within the City of Dicks are the toxic and the corrupt, rather than the merely inferior," Nasus explained. "When a soul is condemned to the Sixth Circle or lower, Mordekaiser slams him upon a spike of his Wheel of Laments, before kicking him down into the City. The wound left by Mordekaiser's wheel is a symbol of shame and disgrace, and the damned spirit is chained into slavery by the demons of the City…or sent into even worse torments far below. And there is no hope of redemption for any damned who are claimed by this infernal city. Those who step foot inside the Sixth Circle will never leave."

"And who is this Lord Vucarik?"

Nasus' eyes narrowed. "The Demon Lord of the City of Dicks, the Master of Agony and Torment. He takes those damned who dare to pursue their arrogant ways, even as they are subject to the greatest of humiliations. In his prison, Vucarik chains his victims and tortures the arrogance out of them in unspeakable ways. His demons also do the same in many of the buildings you see around you."

Fenrir thought hard for a second. "Demon Lord Vucarik…I've heard that name before. In the archives in the Institute of War…something about the Shadow Isles champions…"

"One champion in particular. You know who he is."

Fenrir's eyes widened. "I remember now! He corrupted Thresh into the Chain Warden!"

"You remember correctly," Nasus affirmed. "The legends surrounding Thresh are for the most part accurate. After he was hanged by the prisoners he had brutalized for so long, Thresh fell to the Seventh Circle of True Hell for his violence and ruthlessness. But before he could be subject to its torments, Demon Lord Vucarik came to him and offered him a deal."

"I know about the deal from the legend," Fenrir completed the story. "Vucarik would allow Thresh to return to the world of the living and grant him a vast array of unholy powers. In return, Thresh would continue to torment the living and the dead in the Shadow Isles for all eternity. An unholy bargain that both sides were happy to make." Fenrir shuddered. "I don't think I want to meet the Demon Lord who spiraled Thresh down his descent into darkness."

His guide gave him a reassuring smile. "Fortunately for us, Vucarik rarely ever leaves his prison. He delights in the torments of his victims and does not normally concern himself with the affairs of the city. And although he can be considered one of the Dark One's supporters, he is mostly indifferent to his master's plans."

Nasus turned towards the depths of the city. "Let us continue on, Fenrir. The more quickly we move on to the Seventh Circle, the better."

Guide and summoner continued their journey deeper into the city, staying closely onto the main roads to avoid unnecessary danger. They passed many other lines of slaves along the way, but word of the incident at the gate had apparently travelled quickly, and the souls either ignored the duo or pointedly looked away from them. Neither group made any attempt to contact the other.

Eventually, Nasus and Fenrir reached the very center of the City of Dicks. Fenrir beheld a mighty fortress of black iron and obsidian, through which struggling and weeping souls were being dragged in by demons. Surrounding the fortress was a ravine that glowed orange with distant fire. Fenrir noted to his surprise that there were stairs leading downward into the depths.

"Why would anybody want to walk down into whatever fiery horror is waiting down there?" Fenrir asked, confused.

"Many who take that path do not have a choice," Nasus clarified. "That fiery chasm leads down into the Seventh Circle."

Fenrir cringed. "If this is going to involve me getting burned to a crisp, I think I'm done."

Nasus laughed. "Do not fear. If you tread carefully, there is nothing that can harm you. And to be safe, I will grant you power that will protect you from the flames."

"_And what, pray, will you grant your little charge to protect him from me?"_

Fenrir instantly looked up to see a flaming figure of a demon, wearing black and purple vestments that were marked with the image of a demonic head. His entire body was coated with orange flames, and in his arms was a wicked scythe with a head shaped in the visage of a skull, hellfire flickering from its blood red rubies.

"Demon Lord Vucarik…" Fenrir breathed.

Vucarik laughed. _"So you know who I am, do you? Excellent. This will spare us time that would be otherwise wasted on pointless introductions. No doubt you've heard of the legends surrounding the Chain Warden in the land of the living."_

The Demon Lord stopped laughing once he saw Fenrir's hand inch towards his sword. _"Don't be a fool, mortal," _he snapped, his tone laced with impatience. _"I am not like that conceited brat Nocturne. Even if you had the power to defeat me by yourselves, I know how to use the overwhelming advantages that I possess at my disposal. The legions of the City of Dicks obey my ever command, and I would unleash them upon you before you even had time to move."_

He chuckled darkly. _"And even if you were to defeat me, what would you do? Slay me and destroy more Chains of the Forsaken? Free the damned buried deep within my prison? They would only be captured again in mere seconds. Face the truth, mortal, in your current situation, you are absolutely powerless."_

"So what now?" Fenrir asked, defeated. He was outmatched, and he knew it. "Are you going to kill me? Torment me in your prison?"

Vucarik broke out into hysterical laughter. _"Torture you? A living mortal who doesn't even belong here? That would be such a waste. You mortals are such frail creatures. It is one of the reasons why I am so fascinated by the human soul…it is so resilient. No matter how much I twist and mangle it, it never breaks completely. It makes prolonging the torment so much easier and sweeter…"_

Fenrir gulped, clearly disturbed the Demon Lord's sadism. _"You, on the other hand, exist only as an imprint of your essence," _Vucarik continued, this time with more of a sour tone in his voice. "_The tortures that are so brutally effective on my victims would destroy you in an instant and send you back to the mortal world. Even if your soul was released here, in its entirety, it would immediately ascend to Heaven or at the very worst to the First Circle. Either way, my time and efforts would be wasted on you."_

"So what are you going to do to us?" Fenrir asked again. Nasus made no response, merely gazing darkly but impassively at the City of Dicks' master.

"_Why, let you proceed, of course!"_ Vucarik responded with a vicious grin. _"You wish to see the greater punishments in the lower Circles? By all means, feel free to continue your quest! The sights that you will see in the blackest pits of ELO Hell will reveal much greater horrors to you than anything I can permanently inflict here. I merely came to see the mortal who was able to destroy Demon Lord Nocturne. So far, I am unimpressed."_

Fenrir was tempted to make a rebuttal and boast about all he had done to make it as far as he had, but then he remembered the actual sin that was being punished in the City. "Perhaps you assessment will change when I make it through all Nine Circles."

Vucarik smiled. _"We shall see, mortal."_ He turned to the rest of the demons. _"Get back into the fortress," _he commanded. _"Our business here is done."_

The demon warriors grunted and filed back into the entrance to Vucarik's fortress. The Demon Lord himself turned back towards Nasus and Fenrir. _"What you have seen so far is only a fraction of the terror that ELO Hell can inflict on the souls of summoners," _he gave them his final thought. _"We shall see if your soul can endure more hardship than all the rest."_ And with that, Vucarik vanished in a pillar of flame.

Nasus gestured towards the flaming pit. "Vucarik does not easily pass up an opportunity to torment others, even as fleeting as it would be in your case," the guide speculated. "He must have another reason for allowing you to pass so easily. But there is nothing else we can do at this point. It is time to begin our descent into the depths of the Seventh Circle…and the torments below."

/

A/N: As you can guess, Demon Lord Vucarik is based on Thresh. I hope I've somewhat captured Thresh's malevolent personality in Vucarik's character.

Read and review please!


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